


The Bride of Freeza

by kjoye



Series: The Bride of Freeza series [1]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Interspecies Relationship(s), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-06-18
Packaged: 2019-10-24 08:46:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 38,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17701190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kjoye/pseuds/kjoye
Summary: After the events of Broly, Freeza is contacted by a political leader from Earth who proposes a peace treaty between their planet and his Freeza Force in the form of an arranged marriage. Freeza accepts the offer, seemingly genuine about the whole ordeal.Will things go according to plan, or is the tyrant in for a surprise?*Fic updates will take place bi-weekly on Mondays - time permitting!*





	1. Freeza's Return

 

In the black void of space, the only source of light is the twinkling of stars in a nearby galaxy, just barely illuminating the inside of Freeza’s ship. He sits alone, jaw resting on his hand as he props his elbow on the armrest of his chair, his tail draped over the other side. He stares blankly through the sizeable, domed window in front of him.

Some gears in the wall whir as the door behind him slides open, a lowly grunt stepping through. They bow respectfully before speaking.

“Lord Freeza, we’re almost to the designated galaxy. We’ll update you once more when we’re nearing Earth’s orbit.”

Freeza sighs dramatically, “Very good…”

“Er, um...is something the matter, my lord?”

Freeza remains unmoving in his chair. “No, not at all - but I will have another glass of wine.”

The grunt straightens up, whipping his hand to his forehead in a salute. “Yes, Lord Freeza, right away!” With that, he scurries from the room, the door sliding closed behind him.

Alone again, Freeza continues to watch the passage of space outside his window. He thinks to himself, mulling over in his head how things will go next.

“I don’t know if I quite like the idea of marriage,” he mutters through just barely parted lips, “But, at the very least, I hope this doesn’t end up being a complete waste of time.” He leans back in his chair, dark lips curling into a sinister grin. “I’ve no doubt, though, that they’ll be happy to see me again…”

The ship continues to whiz forward, closing in on a very familiar galaxy.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, on Earth, hundreds of people bustle through the streets of Central City, buzzing with excitement and curiosity as they await Freeza’s arrival.

At a table more isolated from the crowds, Goku and his group of friends sit, enjoying the festivities - or, at least, the ones who care anything about food are.

“Ahhh,” Goku sighs, having finished his fifth serving, “Man, guys, Freeza should get married more often - the food they’re putting out here is no joke.”

Beerus huffs, picking at his sharp teeth with one of his claws, “It’s average at best…” He sits back, reclined in his chair, a satisfied expression on his face despite his previous claim.

“Still, isn’t this exciting?” Whis muses as he stirs the boba pearls at the bottom of his milk tea with his straw, “The little tyrant Freeza’s getting married. I’m so curious how this all will turn out.”

Vegeta, who’s standing nearby, scoffs, “It’ll be a disaster. That’s why we need to be on guard, prepared for whatever scheme he’s going to try pulling next.”

Leaning back, Goku throws his hands behind his head and smiles brightly, “Come on, Vegeta, we don’t know for sure he doesn’t just wanna get married, right? Who’s to say we even need to be on guard at all?”

Vegeta grits his teeth, steaming at Goku, “Don’t be an idiot! The last time he was here he brought a physically unstable saiyan that nearly split the Earth in two!”

“Aw, c’mon - Broly’s not so bad! He just needs some more training to control his power better!”

“You’re really going to stand up for that monster after he nearly beat you to death?” Vegeta gives Goku a hardened stare, crossing his arms impatiently.

Goku gleams innocently back at the Saiyan prince, “Hey, I’ve always done it for you, haven’t I?”

Vegeta grunts, giving Goku an angry look before turning away, deciding to drop the subject.

Bulma holds Bulla by her sides as she sits on the edge of the picnic table in front of her, “Well, I for one hope he’s genuine about it - that way we don’t have to worry about him attacking the planet anymore.”

“And I’m just thrilled at the chance to attend what I imagine will be a lavish wedding,” Whis says cheerfully as he gently takes one of Bulla’s little hands in his fingers, “That is, assuming we’re invited, since I’ve yet to receive an invitation.”

Beerus, still reclined back in his chair, scoffs at the thought, “He’d be a fool not to invite us...”

“I’m excited, too!” Goku grins energetically, “I can’t wait to tell Freeza ‘congratulations’ in person!”

“Speaking of…” Whis says thoughtfully while looking down at his tea, “I wonder how the lucky ‘bride-to-be’ is feeling?”

 

* * *

 

A limousine-style hover car rides quickly over the city streets. Inside are a family of four - Mayor Butan, his wife Masu, and their daughters Yaki and Tori. The youngest of the two daughters - Tori - sits tensely in a corner of the cabin by herself, listening to her family’s rambling.

“Now, Yaki,” her father starts, “Remember to act polite - overly polite - and listen intently to whatever Freeza has to say, not to interrupt, and-”

“Right, yes, I know,” Yaki quickly cuts him off, too busy applying the rest of her make-up in her compact mirror, “Really, father, I know what I’m doing. You don’t need to lecture me anymore!”

Butan gives his eldest daughter a tired sigh, “I know, dear, but it’s very important that we get this right. Too much is at stake, so we can’t leave anything to chance.”

“Please, darling,” Masu chimes in dryly, sounding not at all concerned, “We really have nothing to worry about; Yaki will manage with her natural beauty alone.”

Her ego inflated, Yaki smirks to herself as she continues to do her make-up. Tori sighs wearily as she leans her head against the window. Yaki gives her a cold look.

“And what about you?” she snaps, “Are you just gonna look all miserable the whole time?”

Tori’s expression hardens as she looks at her sister from behind her large, round glasses, “This is a mistake...”

Yaki scoffs, squinting her eyes in annoyance as she continues to apply her lipstick, “What, are you jealous? Think Freeza should have married you instead?”

“It’s not that…” Tori gives her sister a concerned look from the corner of her eye, “This is really dangerous for you, Yaki. Don’t you see that?”

“Urgh!” Yaki groans angrily, clenching her compact tightly, “You made me mess up my lipstick, you dunce!”

“Girls, please!” Butan rubs at his temples stressfully, “Today is a very important day and the people are counting on us to make it right!” Reluctantly, Yaki leans back in her chair, attempting to fix her lipstick. Butan sighs, looking to his younger daughter, “And, Tori, please do try to control yourself. We don’t want to test Freeza’s temper, of all things…”

Tori exhales through her nose, crossing her arms as she rests her head back against the window, looking out of it worriedly. She wasn’t surprised her father took Yaki’s side - he usually did - but she couldn’t believe her family was being so delusional about this; surely they didn’t think Freeza would keep his word for peace, arranged marriage or not.

Arriving at the hotel, Tori’s father exits the hover car, looking at his watch. “Oh, dear, we’re cutting it very close,” he turns to his family as they step out of the vehicle, “We’ll have to go up to meet him right away.”

“But what about the bags?” their mother asks anxiously, not wanting to leave behind all of her luggage.

“And I wanted to freshen up,” Yaki pouts, crossing her arms.

He shakes his head, “There’s no time. I’ll have the staff bring our bags up to the rooms, but we have to go now. Freeza will be landing any minute!”

With that, the four of them rush into the hotel and straight to the elevator, jamming inside of it before being lifted to the very top floor. Meanwhile, Freeza’s ship comes into view. People stop and point, exclaiming as they watch it soar over the city skyline.

Goku and the others stop their conversation as groups of people hurry past them after the ship. Looking up, they see it themselves, and Goku starts to feel excited.

“Alright, he’s finally here!” he smiles brightly, bolting off into the air with Vegeta zipping close behind.

Bulma looks up in surprise, still holding onto Bulla. “H-Hey! Wait, you two!” she stands up from the table, looking back at Whis and Beerus, “Aren’t you two coming?” She looks at Beerus specifically, “Or are you sitting this one out again?”

Beerus, currently lounging back on a bench with his hands behind his back, peeks an eye open at her, “Not it if leaves me with the role of babysitter again…”

Bulma smiles knowingly at him, “Don’t worry, I’m taking her with me this time.” She looks at Whis, “What about you? Aren’t you curious?” She lilts her voice at that last part, teasing him in a sing-song voice.

“Hmmm,” Whis holds his index finger to his chin thoughtfully.

“Just go, Whis,” Beerus says, eyes closed again, “I’m gonna catch a nap real quick anyway.”

Whis smiles almost thankfully, giving Beerus a small bow after standing from the table, “Thank you, Lord Beerus. I’ll bring you something on my way back.”

With his permission from Beerus, Whis takes off with Bulma and Bulla. They finally catch up to Goku and Vegeta, who are standing on the outskirts of the crowd. They look up and see the edge of Freeza’s ship, which is just landing on the roof of the hotel building.

“I wonder why he landed up there?” Whis ponders aloud, holding his hand above his eyes for a better look, “Do you think this is where he’ll be staying in the meantime?”

“Maybe,” Bulma says, straining her eyes for a better look, “This place is pretty ritzy as far as hotels go.”

“Hmm,” Whis hums, “It’s strange…”

“Huh?” Bulma looks at him curiously.

“I sense an interesting power level from up there,” he says absentmindedly, still looking up at the building.

“I feel it, too,” Goku says, sounding a bit more serious.

“So what?” Bulma raises a brow.

“Well,” Goku scratches his head, “It’s nowhere near as strong as Freeza, but it’s higher than any of his soldiers, from what I remember.”

Bulma looks a bit worried as she clutches Bulla to her chest, “Do you think he brought someone with him again this time?”

Vegeta scoffs, “Whoever it is, if this is their highest level, then we have nothing to worry about.” He narrows his eyes impatiently up at the building, “Still…”

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, on the ship, Freeza waits as it fully docks. He stands, looking down through one of the windows at the crowd gathered below.

“Look at them,” he mutters to himself in irritation, “All so self assured, thinking I won’t lift a finger towards them…” He smirks to himself menacingly, “I suppose we’ll see if their reassurance is well-placed in the end.”

One of his soldiers approaches, saluting him, “The ship is fully docked and ready for you to make your arrival, Lord Freeza.”

“Very good,” he says, the amusement lost in his voice. He steps away from the window, preparing to exit the ship.

Just outside, Tori and her family stand waiting for him to exit. Her father and Masu are working hard to keep steeled smiles on their faces, and Yaki is furiously working her fingers through her hair. Meanwhile, Tori is trying hard just to keep herself from shaking; she could almost feel Freeza’s foreboding presence from the ship. She only hoped those capable of fighting him were waiting closeby.

Suddenly, the hatch on the ship hisses, slowly falling open. It presents a small set of stairs that touch down to the ground. Two of Freeza’s soldiers march down them, stopping at either side of its base. There’s silence for a moment, leaving everyone in attendance waiting on pins and needles.

Freeza’s snow-white skin suddenly appears from the dark shadows of the ship. He steps out right foot first, stopping just after his entire body has emerged. Seeing him, Tori realizes, is a much heavier weight than just feeling him - the power of his presence a crushing one.

He studies over them condescendingly, already internally berating their lowly appearances. His eyes quickly dart to Tori, though, as he senses a peculiar energy emanating from her.

“Well, well…” he mutters to himself so only he can hear, a mischievous grin growing on his face.

Tori’s father takes it upon himself to greet Freeza first, clearing his throat and bowing as he steps forward.

“Lord Freeza! We’re so very thrilled - and honored - to finally have you here,” he straightens his posture as Freeza begins stepping further down the ramp. “I am Mayor Butan,” he gestures to himself, then his wife, “This is my wife Masu.” Then his two daughters accordingly. “And these are my daughters, Yaki and Tori - Yaki being your fiance.”

Yaki smiles, flipping her hair with her hand as she steps forward, making sure to push out her cleavage with her arms as she gives the tyrant a respectful bow, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Lord Freeza. I just know we’ll have a happy union together.”

Freeza, already irked by the high pitch of her voice, is further displeased to see her straighten her posture, putting her at a total five inches taller than himself, “...quite.”

Thinking things are going well, Butan puffs out his chest pridefully, “Yes, Yaki is indeed a prodigy. She speaks three languages fluently, has raised thousands of zeni for charity…”

Masu, still standing at Butan’s side, holds her hand under her chin, a satisfied smirk developing on her face as she closes her eyes, “Not to mention released her own perfume line - and at such a young age…”

Yaki perks up, her ego inflated, flipping her hair back over her shoulder again, “Mother, father - please…” Freeza can feel his expression drop at her self-assured grin.

As they prattle on, he can’t help but continue to watch the smaller, quieter Tori standing off to the side, seemingly forgotten. The large, circular glasses on her face hide her eyes entirely, but he could still read a tense, uncomfortable expression from the rest of her features. Her long hair is pulled back messily into a ponytail, random locks prodding out every which way, and she’s holding her hands tightly in front of her lap as she stands stiffly, staring hard at the ground.

His dark lips begin to curl into a suspicious-looking grin as he schemes to himself, disconnecting from Yaki and her parents entirely. He suddenly moves to the side, stepping around Yaki as he makes his way over to Tori.

“And what about this one?” Freeza asks quizzically as he begins walking around Tori in steady circles, “Is she of age?”

Her father blinks, only now realizing that Freeza’s left the conversation, “Pardon, Lord Freeza?”

Freeza halts in his movements, giving Butan an impatient look, “I asked if she was of age.”

It takes Butan a moment to realize who he’s talking about, looking at the two of them dumbly. “Um, yes, my lord - she’s 22 years,” he finally answers, sounding unsure.

“Interesting,” Freeza says, “And what of her status? Is she already betrothed?”

Butan tightens his lips, feeling reluctant to answer Freeza’s questions, “No, Lord Freeza.”

“How fortuitous,” Freeza directs his grin towards Tori as he stops in front of her, pleased to find he’s at least two inches taller than her, “And you - ‘Tori,’ was it? What are your thoughts on marriage? To me, more specifically.”

Butan sputters, interjecting before Tori can give an answer, “Please, Lord Freeza, I must insist-“

“Silence!” he barks back briskly, making Butan jolt. He looks back down at Tori, his expression almost softening, “Well?”

She continues to stare at him, tongue-tied and unable to gather her words amidst the chaotic scrambling of her mind.

“You would be doing your people a great service,” he adds, thinking more clarification will help, “Not to mention, as empress of my galactic empire, you’d never need for anything again - able to take for yourself whatever you see fit.” He tilts his head, giving her a coy smirk, “Although, don’t be surprised if I spoil you myself from time to time…”

Seeing her father still paralyzed from his last attempt, Yaki decides to intervene. “N-Now hang on just a second!” she stammers angrily, stepping forward. “You were supposed to marry me! Not my-” she stammers, trying to find the right words, “-bland, boring sister!”

Tori’s heart stings at Yaki’s harsh words, hoping they’re only fueled by her anger over Freeza’s sudden change of mind. She feels a chill run down her back as she watches his expression grow dark, his red irises sliding to look at Yaki from the corner of his eye.

“Bland and boring as she may be, she at least knows when to hold her tongue and be silent,” he looks at Yaki sharply, his words even more cutting than hers. “And besides…” he says cooly, a suspicious grin forming on his face, “You’re not at all my type.”

Yaki‘s eye twitches, her vain, self-assured reality shattered. She stands in disbelief, looking completely broken.

Seemingly satisfied with the results, Freeza looks back down at Tori, “So, what do you say? Would you accept my offer and take your sibling’s place as my bride-to-be?”

Tori’s face flushes. Feeling overwhelmed, she drops her head and looks down at her feet, desperate that the right words will come to her, “Um, I - I’m not…”

“I’m not exactly in the mood to go searching the reaches of your planet for an alternative,” he says plainly, still looking down at her. “Plus, I believe you’ll do nicely so long as you continue to show signs of reservation and poise. That all being said…” he grips her chin somewhat tightly, pulling it up so that he can look at her directly, meeting her eyes with a cold, calculated stare, “If you refuse me, then you’d also be refusing your people protection from my armed forces.” Her face drops as he mentions this, making him grin almost maliciously, “And you don’t want that...do you?”

Unable to fight his grip, she lowers her eyes in defeat, “No…”

“Very good,” he hums, releasing her jaw as he straightens his posture, “Then I ask you again, earthling - will you be my betrothed for the alliance of your people and mine?”

Eyes still ducked down to the floor, she barely manages to utter her response, “Y-Yes.” She looks up just in time to see his dark lips coil into a smirk, the cogs in his mind seemingly turning.

“Good to hear…”

With that, Butan asks the staff - albeit it reluctantly - to escort them all to their rooms. Freeza motions for Tori to follow him. She obeys, feeling a foreboding chill course through her body as she walks beside him.

 


	2. In Close Quarters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions rise as Freeza continues to stir unrest amongst Tori and her family - even going so far as to confront his new fiance over her peculiar power level.
> 
> Meanwhile, Bulma and the others decide it's time they step into the ring of peril themselves.

“And this will be your room, my lord - and lady,” the hotel staff attendant says, opening the door for both Tori and Freeza, “It’s a large, spacious suite with a number of our finest amenities, including twenty-four hour room service.” He gives them a bow, his arms held at his sides, “Please let us know if there’s anything we can do to better your stay.”

As the attendant leaves, Butan and Tori stand in the doorway, watching as Freeza wanders inside the large room, looking around curiously. Tori leans in closer to her father, looking up at him with pleading eyes.

“Father, I don’t think I can do this,” she keeps her voice quiet so Freeza won’t hear.

Butan looks down at his daughter sympathetically, giving a small huff through his nose, matching her volume as he speaks, “I’m sorry, dear, but since you’ve taken Yaki’s place…”

She turns her head, looking to the side morosely. Butan feels a weight on his heart, currently at a loss as to what to do. He leans down, kissing the top of her head.

“Just make the best of it for now and we won’t be far behind.”

She nods her head solemnly, eyes glued to the ground. Butan looks back up at Freeza, raising his voice again so the tyrant can hear.

“Lord Freeza, we’d like to give you some time to rest before escorting you through the city. Please feel free to do so along with any other business you may have in the meantime, and I will come back for you accordingly,” he gives a small, respectful bow.

“Yes, very good,” Freeza responds dryly, still looking over the arrangements of the room.

Butan gives his daughter one last, reassuring look before he steps back through the door, closing it behind him and leaving the two alone.

They both stand in silence for a moment, Freeza still conducting his inspection and Tori being too afraid to start conversation - as if she even knew what to say. She winces as he suddenly looks back at her over his shoulder, his red eyes still very visible despite the dimness of the lowly-lit room.

“So, little earthling,” his tone is nonchalant as he saunters over to her, arms folded behind his back, tail waving in smooth movements, “How does it feel to be engaged to such a powerful, **marvelous** being like myself? Surely, you must be honored.”

She can feel her knees shaking as his chilling aura weighs into her - so much so that she can’t even ponder the unbelievable smugness in his words. She bites her lip, fiddling her hands between each other in front of her chest in a nervous fit.

“Oh?” he tilts his head, “You’re trembling - you poor thing...” The amused smirk on his face directly opposes his words. “Does this mean you already know some things about me?”

She nods reluctantly, not wanting to inflate his ego any further. He hums, seemingly satisfied.

“Good, then I don’t need to explain much why you should stay in my good graces,” he holds up his index finger, speaking to her matter-of-factly, “You don’t want to cross me, earthling, and not **just** because there are a mountain of benefits for you to reap should you avoid doing so.” He lowers his hand behind his back, giving her a catty smirk, “I wasn’t jesting before when I said I’d spoil you - like a master to his pet…”

Her frown turns to a scowl, making him lean back, laughing with his hand held beside his mouth.

“Oh, did that last bit make you angry?” he chortles, eyeing her mischievously, “And what an adorable scowl you have - like a small rabbit trying to stare down a bear.” He leans in, giving her a callous smile, “But perhaps that’s because the rabbit thinks the bear doesn’t know her secret.”

Her confused expression only makes his smile widen, his eyes narrowing cheekily. She stumbles back into the door as he steps closer, her palms pressing against the metallic surface, wishing she could phase right through it. Looking up, she sees him still looking at her expectantly.

She gulps, keeping her voice low as she speaks, “I’m not sure what you mean...”

“Is that right?” he cocks his head to the side, stepping closer to her left, immediately causing her to lean in the other direction. He looks at her in delight, feeling all too amused by her skittish reactions. “Well, just so you know, I sensed your power level the moment after landing on this dreadful planet. Your ki may be paltry, but it’s there, and I’ll discover its source - with or without your cooperation.”

She raises a brow at him, genuinely not understanding most of what he’d just said, “My...what?”

His throat thrums as he reaches out a hand, feathering his fingers through a lock of her hair, “Continue to act coy for as long as you like...” He leans in close again, making her turn her head, eyes shutting tightly. His voice is barely a whisper as he coos into her ear, “But know that I hold the advantage here, and your proclivity for falsehoods will not last you.”

A succession of knocks vibrates from the other side of the door and against Tori’s back, making her jump.

“Tori? Lord Freeza?” her father’s voice calls out from the other side, making Freeza calmly straighten his posture, “Not to interrupt so soon, but the hover car is ready for us to depart.

Freeza sighs, feeling his fun was cut short, “Yes, we’ll be out in a moment.”

Butan sighs in relief, hearing no suspicious pause in the tyrant’s response, “Very good. I’ll be waiting downstairs for you both.”

Tori and Freeza stand in silence for a moment, waiting out the remainder of Butan’s departing footsteps. Once gone, Freeza’s red eyes shift back to her, another coy smile spreading on his face.

“I suppose we’ll have to resume this little exchange another time.”

 

* * *

 

That afternoon, Freeza is given a tour of the city via a convertible hover car, the roof folded back to provide a better view. The tyrant seems restless and uninterested for the majority of it, but Butan continues to try and market their city’s importance and success. Yaki remains in a silent pout the entire time, not even budging when her mother points out the places they could go shopping later that evening. Tori, meanwhile, sits stiffly about a foot away from Freeza, her hands clasped nervously in her lap.

“That man sure can prattle on...” Freeza suddenly mutters, keeping his voice low enough so that only Tori can hear.

She glances at him, trying to read his current disposition. He’s leaned against the wall of the vehicle, his elbow propped on top of it with his jaw rested in his hand. He has one leg crossed over the other and his tail hanging over the seat, the end of it waving back and forth dully.

“He just wants you to know how important our capital is to our people,” she responds quietly, keeping her eyes forward, “I’m sure if you showed interest in any place in particular, he’d take you there.”

Freeza scoffs, not moving as he continues to watch the passing cityscape, “I seriously doubt there’s anything this city has to offer me.”

She can’t help but smile a bit to herself at his somewhat childish doggedness, “There has to be **something** we have that you like…”

“Hmm,” he hums quietly, rubbing his chin as he thinks to himself, “I suppose...I can keep an eye out for this ‘something’ you’re so sure exists.”

She smiles to herself again, wondering if maybe she’s beginning to chip away at his hardened exterior, only for him to slip his tail beneath her feet, making her jump. He chuckles smugly as he reels back his tail, feeling satisfied with her disheveled state.

 

* * *

  

“They certainly are on the move,” Whis comments as he watches the hover car Freeza and the others are riding in take off, their group having finally given up the chase.

Bulma sighs tiredly as she looks over a sleepy Bulla, “No kidding. I don’t know why we thought following them like that was a good idea.”

Whis smiles at Bulma teasingly, “A good idea for those of us who can fly, my dear. You could have gone back to join Lord Beerus anytime.”

“And miss out on Freeza being escorted around like some sort of celebrity?,” she scoffs, “I don’t think so.”

Whis smiles, ever-amused at the earth woman’s tenacity, “Should we head back for now then and continue with our little stake-out later? No doubt Lord Beerus will be waking from his rest soon.”

“That’s fine with me; I’m starting to feel hungry again anyway,” Goku gleams, patting at his stomach with both hands.

“You all go ahead,” Vegeta chimes in, his arms crossed impatiently, “I’m going to continue pursuing Freeza.”

Bulma exhales through her nose and purses her lips, knowing better than to try and argue with her husband over anything involving Freeza, “Okay, but don’t get into any trouble.”

If it had been anyone else, Vegeta would have taken that as a jab at his capability - but, instead, he only nods to her before taking off, bolting through the air with great speed while the others return to group up with Beerus.

 

* * *

 

Later in the evening, at end of the tour, Butan takes the five of them to a restaurant - having made the reservation months beforehand.

Upon arriving, they’re led outside to a secluded garden area lush with greenery. Small lights are strung up in the wooden lattice threaded above the circular table, which is already set with fine-looking tableware.

Tori pauses as Freeza steps in front of her, pulling out her chair so she can sit. She gives him a surprised look only to be given a mischievous one in return. As she sits down, she wonders if he’d only shown her that bit of chivalry to tease her again, irritate Yaki, or possibly both.

“So, Lord Freeza,” Butan smiles hopefully as he picks up his menu, “What do you think of our grand city so far?”

Freeza, already relaxed in his seat, glances at the mayor blankly. “It’s…” he waves his hand as he tries to think of the right words, catching eye of Tori’s pleading expression, “...fine. Impressive, even - in its own way.”

Butan smiles cheerfully, feeling accomplished, “Thank you very much, my lord! Your kind words are appreciated.”

Freeza nods half-heartedly. Glancing at Tori from the corner of his eye, he wonders why he’d allowed her to sway him so suddenly. He sighs through his nose, brushing it off as he looks down at the menu in front of him, the listings all printed in an exaggerated, curvy font.

“I hope the venue is to your liking, my lord,” Butan says, looking at Freeza over his unfolded menu, “It’s one of our city’s finest and the food is very high quality - all made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients.”

“Mhm,” Freeza mumbles, the side of his head propped against his hand as he looks over the options available. He flips through its pages, not seeing anything of particular interest. “Oh?” he perks up, raising his head.

Butan looks up, excited that the tyrant might have found something to his tastes, “Did you find something you might like, my lord?”

Freeza continues to stare down at his menu in concentration, his index finger now held to his temple thoughtfully, “...this wine menu is quite extensive.”

Butan blinks in surprise, “...’wine,’ my lord?”

Tori gives Freeza a small smile, lowering her menu to better look at him, “I didn’t know you liked wine.”

“I enjoy it, yes,” Freeza’s eyes focus on her for a moment before lowering again to scan further down the list, growing more and more curious with each name he reads, “I’m accustomed to having at least one glass a day.”

“Oh, something we have in common, my lord!” Masu says excitedly, waving her hand at him.

“There’s also a winery just on the outskirts of town, complete with its own vineyard,” Butan smiles at him, holding up his hand, “We can schedule a time to go visit there if you’d like.”

“Hmm,” Freeza curls his index finger to his chin thoughtfully, glancing up over his menu at the mayor, “I’ll consider it...”

 

* * *

  

Their dinner goes relatively well at first. Tori convinces Freeza to share a sampler platter with her, since he didn’t show much interest in most of the food available. He orders several glasses of wine, his demeanor unchanging with each one. Tori’s mother tries to sample the wine along with him, but eventually has to call it quits in face of his seemingly endless alcohol tolerance. Yaki remains unusually quiet as before, hardly eating her food and mostly just poking at it with her fork.

“So, Lord Freeza,” Butan speaks up, patting at his mouth with a napkin, “In regards to the ship you landed in earlier - that was quite an impressive vessel.”

“Isn’t it though?” Freeza smirks, wine glass held in his hand as he leans back in his chair, “The design is a bit dated, but I have a sort of nostalgic attachment to it. I’ve allowed some alterations to the other models in the fleet, though, since I hardly spend any time on those.”

The mayor looks at him, confused, “The ‘fleet,’ my lord?”

“Yes, of course,” Freeza chuckles, “I suppose it’s only fair you’re confused since you haven’t seen them.” He sets his glass down on the table, leaning forward to rest his elbows on its surface, his hands folded under his chin, “I left them in your planet’s orbit, seeing as I won’t be needing them while I’m here on the surface...”

Butan tenses as Freeza sends him a foreboding look, his dark lips painting a mischievous grin on his face. The tyrant laughs, seeing the mayor’s worried expression.

“Oh, there’s no need to look so concerned! I’m very particular about my orders and prefer to supervise my men closely. That being said, I’ve ordered them to wait there until my work on this planet is done,” he reaches over to take a shrimp from its glass and holds it to his mouth, red cocktail sauce dripping down onto his finger, a sly smirk coiling over his lips, “That’s all…”

Butan gulps, wincing as he watches Freeza bite down, easily beheading the small crustacean. Tori grips the fabric of her skirt in her lap, suddenly not feeling very hungry.

“Um,” she mutters shyly, standing up from her chair, causing the other four to look her way. “I have to use the restroom,” she gives a small, apologetic bow, “Excuse me.”

The others watch as she steps around her chair, briskly walking away from the table and out of view. Freeza smirks to himself before taking another sip of his wine.

 

* * *

 

Tori feels a small wave of relief wash over her as she splashes some cool water on her face. Exhaling, she grips the sides of the sink and she looks up intently at the mirror.

“You can do this…” she mutters quietly, “You **have** to do this. Everyone is counting on you - everyone on the planet.”

She frowns, not able to buy even her own words of encouragement. Instead, she takes note of her reflection, not used to seeing herself - or most things, for that matter - in such detail.

Just in time, her head begins to ache. She blinks, gritting her teeth and closing her eyes before they can become too strained. Grabbing a paper towel, she quickly dries her face with it, putting her glasses back on afterwards.

Leaving the bathroom, she walks back outside, passing by a number of other seated parties. She looks around at them enviously, most of them being couples and families - all looking much happier than she was feeling.

“Psst! Hey!” a mysterious voice suddenly rings in her ear.

She recoils in surprise, stumbling as she turns on her heel, head wheeling as she looks for its source.

“Over here!” it says again.

Tori turns her head in the voice’s direction this time. She’s surprised to see a woman’s face poking out through the nearby brush.

“Um,” raising a brow, she hesitantly steps closer, “Can I help you with something...?”

“Sorry, we can’t talk here,” the blue-haired woman says, eyes shifting side to side before focusing on Tori, “Quick, come with me!”

Before she can ask, Tori’s gripped by the wrist and pulled through the bushes. She hardly has time to adjust her glasses before she continues to be pulled down the stone path. The woman smiles back at her, trying to be reassuring.

“My name’s Bulma, by the way,” she says in a friendly tone, trying to make up for the abrasiveness of her introduction, “Sorry about all the cloak and dagger - I just didn’t want Freeza to hear us before we got a chance to talk.”

Tori’s eyes widen a bit, “You know Freeza?”

They suddenly arrive at another secluded dining area similar to where Tori, her family, and Freeza were seated. Squinting her eyes, she looks to see a strange-looking group of characters sitting at the table - specifically an angelic-looking man and a purple, anthropomorphic...jackal?

“D-Do all of you know Freeza?” Tori looks up at Bulma uncertainly, not having gotten an answer before.

“You could say that…” Bulma smiles at her meekly, scratching at her cheek with her index finger, “More importantly, we don’t really trust that he’s here just to be cordial. And, if I had to guess, you’re on the other end of this arranged marriage peace treaty thing he’s got going, right?”

Tori nods her head sullenly. Bulma picks up on the gloom hanging around her and gives her a small smile.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t even introduce the others,” Bulma smiles, pointing back to each of the individuals sitting at the table accordingly, “That’s Goku, my husband Vegeta, Whis, and Beerus.”

Goku waves - his mouth full of food - Vegeta only stares as he holds Bulla in his arms, Whis gives a polite raise of his hand, and Beerus remains lounged in his chair.

Feeling shy, Tori gives them all a quick bow, “My name is Tori - it’s nice to meet all of you.” Standing up straight, she suddenly has a realization, her face lighting up as she steps forward. “W-Wait a second, I know you two!” she points to Goku and Vegeta, “You two fought Freeza the last time he was here, didn’t you? Or the time before last…”

Goku gulps down the food he’d been chewing, smiling back at Tori somewhat sheepishly, “Hey, yeah! So you recognize us, huh?”

Tori smiles back shyly, fidgeting with the hems of her long sleeves, “Yes, I watched your battle on the news.” She ducks her head a bit, not being able to remember much else, “Until the broadcast was cut short, of course…” She lifts her head again, smiling at both of them meekly, “But, from what I did see, you two were amazing. Incredible, even.”

“Aw, shucks,” Goku gleams, laughing as he rubs the back of his head with his hand. Vegeta only huffs, turning his head away - not used to being praised so adamantly by strangers.

Tori thinks to herself as she looks at them, coming to another realization, “Um...so does that mean you’re here to fight Freeza again?”

Goku stops just before taking another bite of his food, looking up at Tori. He raises his hands in defense, “No, not at all - not yet, anyway.”

Bulma notices the confused look on Tori’s face, deciding to fill in the gaps Goku had left in his explanation. “He hasn’t done anything yet - as far as we know - so we don’t want to provoke him if we can avoid it.”

“Oh…” Tori can’t help but sound a bit disappointed, having hoped they were going to get her out of this engagement altogether.

Bulma tenses, understanding what she’d just implied. She sputters, waving her hands anxiously as she tries to explain, “Uhh, yeah - but don’t worry! Like I said, we know he’s up to something, so we’re standing by, ready for whenever he decides to act out.” She leans down, putting a hand on Tori’s shoulder as she gives her a reassuring look, “But that’s where we need your help.”

Tori perks up a bit - albeit it out of curiosity - to look up at Bulma, pointing a finger to her own chest, “ **My** help?”

Bulma nods, leaning back to stand up straight again, “You’re gonna be the one most in contact with him, so we were hoping you’d help us keep tabs on him.”

“Oh,” Tori mutters, a bit surprised at how simple a request it ended up being. Still, she ducks her head, nervously twiddling her fingers between a lock of her hair, “I guess I could do that without him noticing…”

“I’m confident you can,” Bulma smiles, “I’ll give you my number so you can call or text and send me updates whenever you want.”

Tori smiles a bit as she looks back up at Bulma, feeling reassured to have such strong, reliable allies behind her now. They quickly exchange numbers, keeping Bulma’s contact on her phone coded in case Freeza becomes suspicious. Goku takes this time to get up from the table, walking over to join them.

“Don’t worry, Tori - if Freeza starts anything, we’ll be close behind,” Goku smiles down at her brightly, patting her shoulder with his hand, “I promise!”

She smiles, hands in her lap as she gives him a thankful bow. “Thank you for your help - you’re all very kind…” she stands up straight again, smiling at them all sweetly, “I’ll do my best to help out.”

“There you are,” a familiar voice suddenly chimes in, chilling Tori to the bone. Freeza enters the space, arms folded behind his back. He gives Tori a knowing look, “I was wondering where you’d wandered off to…” Turning to Beerus, he gives the god a polite bow, “Lord Beerus - a pleasure, as always.” Feeling too relaxed, Beerus only nods his head.

“Hey, Freeza!” Goku beams, waving his hand high above his head in the tyrant’s direction, “Congrats on getting married! I’m happy for you, man!”

Freeza looks to Goku, completely stupefied, “...right.”

“Speaking of...” Whis finally chimes in after taking a sip of his tea, “Are we invited to your little soiree? It’d be a shame to miss out on such a momentous occasion.”

Freeza huffs, putting his hand over his chest as he gives Whis a small bow, “Of course. In fact-” he stands up straight, raising his hands dramatically, “-you’re all invited to attend! Bring your family, your friends…” he glances at Vegeta, giving him a crooked smile, “After all, ‘the more the merrier,’ as they say.”

Vegeta scowls, holding Bulla away from the tyrant’s sight. Freeza lowers his right arm behind his back, gesturing the other hand to Tori.

“Come now - your parents must be worried about you,” his voice drops at the end, his expression suddenly becoming more serious.

Tori gulps, visibly tensing as she does her best not to shake while looking Freeza in the eye, “Right…”

Bulma gives Tori one last reassuring smile before she’s forced to leave. Although she’d only just met them, Tori wishes she could stay and spend the rest of the night with them instead.

The two of them walk for a moment, both in silence. To Tori’s surprise, though, they don’t immediately return to her family - instead, part way there, Freeza quickly grabs her by the waist with his tail, heaving her towards a tree. As she stumbles back into it, he grabs her by the wrists, pinning them above her shoulders and against its trunk. She looks up at him in shock and fear.

“So,” he narrows his eyes, the corner of his mouth twitching as he frowns, “What did they tell you?”

“H-Huh?”

“I **said** -” he tightens his grip on her wrists, making her wince, and leans in closer so his face is just centimeters from hers, “ **What** did they **tell you**?”

She turns her head as far from him as she can manage, her eyes shut tightly, “You’re hurting me…”

He scoffs, “Then I suppose you should tell me what I want to know - and **quickly**.”

She grunts, peeking one of her eyes open to glare at him, “They asked me to keep an eye on you for them…”

He huffs, taking a moment to shake his head in contented disbelief. “Is that all?” he chuckles to himself as he steps back, releasing her hands and smirking down at her, “And here I thought it was something I should actually be worried about.”

“So not worth pinning me to a tree then?” her voice is surprisingly venomous as she narrows her eyes at him, rubbing her fingers soothingly over her sore wrists.

He narrows his eyes back at her, instead with gleeful amusement, “I would say it was worth seeing that look of absolute terror on your precious little face.” He grips at her chin with his thumb and index finger, only for her to quickly swat his hand away. “Oho!” he muses, eyes lighting up excitedly, “And here I thought I wouldn’t be getting a proper fight out of you!”

She narrows her eyes at him, already fed up with his bullying, “Tease all you want, but I’m keeping my promise to the others, s-so you’d better watch your step.” He chortles at her, not at all intimidated, making her grimace at him impatiently. “I’m serious!”

He sighs as he finally settles from his fit of laughter, giving her an imperious look, “Ah, yes, of course you are.” He loops his tail behind her back, pulling her away from the tree and alongside him as he begins to walk away. “Now, it’s about time we return to dinner, wouldn’t you say?” he sends her a troublesome look as he continues to tug her along with him, “After all, I could use another glass of wine…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your kind words on the previous chapter!
> 
> I really appreciate those of you who've taken the time to read The Bride of Freeza so far - I'm excited to share the rest of the story with you! ^^


	3. Freeza's Intent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori finally decides to confront her fiance about his true intentions behind their arranged marriage.
> 
> Meanwhile, Bulma and another familiar face decide to become a permanent addition to the wedding - much to Freeza's dismay.

“Wow, what an ass,” Bulma grunts in disbelief, phone held between her ear and shoulder as she changes Bulla’s diaper, “I’m sorry - I knew he was a jerk, but I thought he’d at least be a **little** nice to you since you’re engaged and all.”

“It’s okay,” Tori says quietly, phone held to her ear as she sits on the bathroom counter, feet swinging as they dangle below her, “I’m still going to try and keep you guys in the loop regardless. He even said it isn’t something he’s worried about, so…”

“I guess,” Bulma says, pursing her lips unsurely, “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want you getting pinned to anymore trees.”

Tori smiles a bit to herself at Bulma’s concern, “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” She sighs, looking out the nearby window as she thinks aloud, “Besides, I’ve got other things to worry about, as it turns out…”

“Like what?” Bulma asks as she tries to dress her fidgety daughter.

“Well…” Tori taps her finger on the counter hesitantly, “Now that my sister is out of the picture, so is her bridal party.”

“Well, that’s not such a big deal; you can just call some of your friends up and ask them. It’s short notice, but I’m sure they’d understand,” Bulma replies somewhat absentmindedly as she finally manages to fasten one of the buttons on Bulla’s shirt,

Tori remains silent on the other line, frowning as she glances to the side, not knowing how to respond without sounding like a friendless loser. Bulma stops for a moment, finally putting the pieces together.

“...that bad, huh?” she asks quietly, starting to feel even more sorry for the girl.

“Yeah,” Tori nods, despite Bulma not being able to see her, “Friends have never really been my forte…”

“I’m sorry,” Bulma says, sincerity in her voice, “I wish there was something I could-”

Tori raises a brow as Bulma suddenly goes silent, wondering if they’d lost their connection. “...Bulma?”

“That’s it!” Bulma smiles, shouting loudly into the phone.

Tori jumps, dropping her phone and fumbling it between her hands as she just barely saves it from crashing to the floor. Shakily, she raises it back to her ear, cupping it with both her hands.

“Wh-what do you mean?” she stammers, still spooked from Bulma’s sudden outburst.

“I can help you with your bridal party!” Bulma beams, “In fact, I can be your maid of honor!”

“Y-You can?” Tori stammers, still trying to get a grasp on the conversation.

“Yeah, think about it! This way I can help you plan things for the wedding and keep a closer eye on Freeza - it’s perfect!” Bulma continues, grinning excitedly

Tori, still surprised at Bulma’s offer, scratches her index finger at her cheek thoughtfully, “I-I guess that’s true, but are you sure that wouldn’t be a huge inconvenience for you, being so out of the blue?”

“Not at all, I’d be glad to help! Not to mention, planning for a wedding sounds like it could be fun!” she perks up, having had another idea, “Oh! I even know someone who can be one of your bridesmaids! She’s really strong, honest, and would be a great help!”

Tori remains in stunned silence on the other end of the line, unable to keep up with Bulma’s feverish rambling. She smiles timidly to herself, listening - albeit it anxiously - to Bulma’s plan.

“Speaking of, I should probably call her right now - the sooner the better, right? Let me know if you’re doing any wedding stuff today and we’ll do our best to meet you there. Bye!” Bulma gleams, hanging up the phone before Tori can get another word in.

Tori sits silently on the counter, still holding the phone to her ear as she listens to the dial tone, a look of disbelief on her face. Finally, she lowers it, resting her hands in her lap after hanging it up. She realizes she hadn’t even gotten a chance to talk about what happened after dinner the night before.

Sighing, she leans back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling as she recalls it herself; after dinner, they’d gone back to the hotel and she had taken the opportunity to shower, the hot water offering some relief from all the tension Freeza created - but only so much since she had known he was still in the room just outside...

 

* * *

 

Tori towels at her damp hair, leaning down with her head hanging in front of her. She gathers her locks in the middle of the towel, wrapping it around her head and twisting it into a coil before throwing it behind her head as she stands up straight. She quickly puts on her glasses, her head already throbbing lightly. Contented relief washes over her the moment the lenses cover her eyes. Looking back at the door, she steels herself to leave her little safe zone.

Timidly, she twists the doorknob, only opening the door a crack as she peeks out into the rest of the suite; she can only see the kitchen and part of the living room. Exhaling through her nose, she pushes the door open fully, stepping out into the open space.

At last, she sees Freeza, who’s sitting with his legs crossed on one of the large, plush couches, a book in his hand and his eyes reading over it in a seemingly concentrated manner. She purses her lips, gripping at the bottom of her t-shirt as she walks over to him, stopping just on the other side of the coffee table.

He glances up at her, an amused grin already pasted on his lips, “You have quite the determined look on your face, earthling.”

She furrows her brows, looking at him a bit impatiently, “You remember my name, don’t you?”

“I do,” he says flatly, closing the book on his lap before giving her a teasing grin, “But I see no point in using it, particularly when you can’t even afford to address me as ‘lord’ like you should be.”

She gives him a look of disbelief, still tugging lightly at the bottom of her shift, “We’re engaged; I don’t believe we should have to act so formal with each other...or belittling.”

He huffs, “Perhaps you’re right.” Setting the book aside, he folds his hands together in his lap. “But I’m guessing that isn’t what you came over to speak to me about?”

She hesitates, looking away from his calculated red stare for a moment, “I actually wanted to ask you something.”

He watches - his curiosity peaked - as she sits down on the edge of the coffee table, keeping her body turned just enough to look at him, “...go on.”

“...I know you agreed to this peace treaty with our planet, but when it comes to the arranged marriage part of it…” she crosses her arms, looking at him unsurely, “With all the details, planning, and frills - well...I just don’t see why you would bother with something like that.”

His expression is unreadable as his icy red stare sinks into her. She feels her skin prick up coldly as he remains silent, wondering if she’d gone too far in asking. Finally, he sighs, his eyes closing with the motion.

“I suppose there’s no point in keeping you in the dark about it,” he looks at her again, his willingness to elaborate surprising her. “In the past years, I’ve made some...miscalculations,” his eyes stray from her as he thinks back on his past, “Which is something I wasn’t used to experiencing for...well, most of my life.” He looks at her again, expression hardened, “Since then, it seems I’ve missed the mark at nearly every turn.”

“Okay…” she says lowly, making sure to understand what he may be getting at, “Then why not find an advisor rather than a spouse?”

He looks at her again for a moment, rooting around in his mind for the best way to explain it, the end of his tail swaying as it hangs over the edge of the couch.

“I’m not looking for some polished, well-manicured politician who’ll more than likely bend to agree with every little thing I say,” he looks away from her again, seemingly uncomfortable with what he’s about to say next, “I want someone loyal - committed - to me and only me. One who’s best interest is mine.” He gives her a concentrated look, “If I’m not mistaken, that’s how marital unions amongst your people operate.”

She blinks at him, completely taken back by his answer - having expected something much more malicious or vindictive. She smiles at him a bit sweetly, rubbing her arm with her hand.

“I mean...that’s part of it, I suppose,” she says meekly, not knowing how to explain the other aspects of it to him.

He looks at her cautiously, eyes narrowing, “That must mean I’m missing something...”

She blushes, hardly able to believe the position she’s in. “Um, well…” her eyes search the room for something to focus on - anything besides his intimidating, expectant expression, “Usually - or, most of the time - people on our planet marry for...love.”

“...love?” he squints his eyes, as if not knowing its definition.

“Y-Yeah, aside from arranged marriages, that is - but those are pretty rare these days,” she stutters nervously, forcing a smile, her hands held up in front of her, “But usually two people will date for a while and, when they feel ready, **then** they’ll get married.”

He curls his index finger at his chin, looking down thoughtfully. “I see - so your people go through some sort of…’courting process’ before making their relationship official,” he glances to the side, looking as if he’d made yet another miscalculation, “No wonder you’re still so indifferent towards me...”

“Did...did you think that, just because we got engaged, I’d take to you right away?” she huffs, trying not to let the amusement show on her face.

He scowls at her, face wrenching angrily, “O-Of course not! Do you take me for a fool?!”

She covers her mouth, biting her lip as she keeps herself from laughing, “No, not at all...that’s kind of sweet, actually.”

He shoots up from the couch, clenching his fists at his sides, “Don’t you dare call me ‘sweet,’ woman! I could destroy you with a single glance - a single digit!”

She puts up her free hand defensively, “Sorry, sorry - you’re right.” She huffs through her nose, a playful smile showing from behind her other hand, “Besides, I’d say it’s more ‘cute’ than ‘sweet’…”

He glares at her in furious disbelief, his face running hot. His eye twitches as he looks over the coy expression on her face.

He snorts angrily, turning his head up at her haughtily as he storms away. She twists her body so she can watch him, surprised at his sudden retreat. Before she can question it, he stops at the balcony door, sending her a disdainful look over his shoulder.

“I’m turning in for the night, woman - I suggest you do the same!”

He quickly leaves through the door, zipping up into the air and out of sight shortly after. She remains seated on the coffee table, blinking in disbelief, wondering to herself what had just happened.

 

* * *

 

After that, Tori hadn’t seen or heard from Freeza all night - or that morning, even - giving her time to slip into the bathroom first thing to call Bulma. She crosses her arms, thinking hard to herself as she tries to grasp the reasoning behind Freeza’s sudden explosive behavior, wondering if-

A sudden knock at the door makes her jump, her heels kicking into the cabinet doors below, “Y-Yes?!”

“Are you going to be in there all morning?” Freeza’s voice calls from the other side of the bathroom door, sounding suspicious and mildly impatient.

“No!” she calls back, hopping down from the counter, “I-I’ll be out in a second…!”

He exhales through his nose sharply, stepping back to give her enough room for when she opens the door. She peeks her head out, looking up at him timidly. He narrows his eyes at her, seemingly still coarse from the night before.

“What were you doing in there?” he asks dryly, arms folded behind his back.

“I was…” she stalls, thinking to herself, “...on the phone.”

“...on the phone?” he repeats, raising a brow sceptically.

“It’s true,” she says quickly, still grasping the door in front of her like a shield, “I-I just wanted some privacy.”

He huffs tiredly, gripping the edge of the door and pulling it open - her along with it. He closes it behind her as if thinking she planned to retreat back inside, his eyes planted firmly on her.

“Your father has been pestering me for the past fifteen minutes, asking where you are. So I suggest we meet with him before I lose the last bit of patience I have…” he says coldly, not waiting for her agreeance as he begins to walk away.

She watches his rigid movements with concern, wondering if she’d truly upset him that much the night before, “Um...Freeza?” He halts, waiting in silence for her to continue. “I didn’t upset you last night, did I?”

He continues to be silent for a moment, then scoffs, shooting her an imperious look from over his shoulder, “Please, woman - if you had truly upset me, you wouldn’t be here to ask.”

She smiles a bit to herself as he turns away, not feeling as receptive to his threats after seeing him so flustered the night before.

 

* * *

 

Tori stares down at her phone pensively as they all ride in the hover car; she’d quickly texted Bulma letting her know about the cake tasting that morning but hadn’t gotten a response. She was trying not to get her hopes up due to the short notice, but wished they’d be able to meet her there anyway.

Freeza, lounged in the same spot as the day before, glances at her, taking note of her concentrated expression.

“You seem rather attached to that thing, seeing as you hardly take your eyes off it…” he says implicatively.

Breaking her focus from the screen, she smiles at him sheepishly, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get so wrapped up in it.”

“How does that pocket device of yours even operate?” he scoots closer, eyes drawn down to her cell phone, “It’s positively miniscule…”

“Uh,” she quickly exits out of her and Bulma’s chat before he gets too close, “I actually used to have a smaller one.”

“Interesting,” he feigns fascination as he watches her scroll through the different parts of her phone, phasing out as she explains their different functions.

He glances at her from the corner of his eye. Being well leaned over her shoulder, he realizes he hasn’t been this close to her as of yet - without any sort of intimidation or teasing on his part, that is.

He picks up a peculiar scent coming from her hair as he breathes in. While unfamiliar to him, it was tame, subtle, and overall pleasant - not like the sickly sweet smell he’d gotten from her older sister. He feels his stomach coil simply recalling it.

Unsettled by his silence, she glances at him from the corner of her eye, giving him his first real view of them; they were an auburn color, the brightest part of them reflecting almost red.

“Um,” she mutters shyly, not able to figure out what he’s thinking, “Is there something specific you wanted me to show you or…?”

“No,” he says plainly, “I’ve seen all I need to.”

She looks at him curiously as he moves back to his corner, returning her phone back to her pocket just to be safe. Looking over his face, she thinks to herself for something they can talk about.

“So...is there a type of cake in particular you’re hoping they’ll have for us to try?” she asks timidly.

Unmoving, he only glances at her from the corner of his eye, “I’m not particularly fond of sweet things.”

“Oh,” she responds, feeling surprised and not surprised all at once, “Well...I’m sure they’ll have something that you’ll end up liking.”

He huffs, turning his head more to face her, “You seem awfully determined to find things that I’ll like, earthling.”

She sends him a gentle smile, “I just think you might be easier to get along with if you were in a better mood is all.”

“Oh, is that it?” he huffs, giving her an amused look, his arms crossed arrogantly over his chest, “Well, I would say I’ve been reasonably well-mannered, given what I’m capable of.”

She sends him a knowing smirk, brow raised in disbelief, “You pinned me to a tree...and a door.”

“Oh, please, there’s no need to act so demure,” he grins at her coyly, raising his chin to look down at her cockily, “It must have been a thrilling encounter from your perspective.”

She scoffs, crossing her arms as she turns her head away from him, “Definitely not…”

“Hmm,” he hums, watching her with a mischievous smirk.

The hover car suddenly comes to a stop before levitating slowly down onto a parking space at the edge of the sidewalk. Butan turns to smile at the both of them.

“We’ve arrived, Lord Freeza, if you’re ready to depart,” he says politely.

Freeza sighs, moving to get up from his seat, “Very well.”

The five of them exit the hover car via the valet’s escort. Once gathered, they make their way to the cake shop, which is just a few stores down the way. Despite being fairly early in the morning, the sidewalks are still somewhat crowded, making Freeza’s skin itch with aggravation.

As the crowds part in front of them - mostly out of fear for Freeza - the tyrant finds himself focusing more on Tori’s presence at his side rather than the dense mass of people around them, taking his mind from his frustration. He tenses, though, when he sees Bulma and Android 18 waiting outside the cake shop, his calm demeanor quickly becoming a short-lived one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy the new chapter! ^^ I'm happy to be writing some more interactions between Tori and Freeza - hopefully I'll be able to lay out and pace their relationship in the way I originally planned ('slow burn' tag may be added soon).


	4. Sweets and Circumstance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The arrival of Bulma and Android 18 - and their addition as wedding coordinators - brings in more adverstity for Tori and Freeza.
> 
> Can the two of them come to an understanding, or was this marriage doomed from the start?

“Hey! Tori!” Bulma waves her hand high above her head, a delighted grin spread across her face.

Tori smiles to herself, ecstatic to see that they’d made it. Without thinking, she rushes over to the two women, leaving Freeza to watch her in disbelief and her family to look on in confusion.

“Y-You made it!” she stammers, stopping in front of them.

Bulma smiles down at her, “Yeah, sorry about not replying to your message. We were already rushing to get here and didn’t want to be late.”

“That’s okay - I’m just so glad you could make it,” Tori smiles sweetly up at her, exhaling in relief. She looks over to Android 18, giving the mystery woman a bow, “S-Sorry, I’m Tori - it’s nice to meet you, um...”

Flicking back a lock of her hair, Android 18 offers Tori her hand for a shake, “18.”

Tori smiles, shaking the android’s hand gently, feeling a surprising force held behind her grip, “I’m guessing you’re who Bulma was talking about before. I really appreciate you helping me on such short notice…”

“It’s no problem; I get it’s a pretty serious situation,” 18’s eyes move to Freeza, who’s approaching the three of them along with Tori’s family.

“Well, well,” Freeza gives Bulma and Android 18 a knowing grin as he stands noticeably close to Tori’s side, arms crossed over his chest, “Warming the benches just wasn’t enough for you this time around, eh?”

Bulma smirks, her demeanor dripping with heated confidence, “Actually, we’re here to help with your wedding. I know it’s probably too nice a favor for you, but we’re mostly doing it for Tori anyway, so…”

The tyrant chuckles, pinching at his forearm in an attempt to quell his temper, “What a brazen little guise you’ve come up with. I’d say I was impressed if it weren’t so obvious.”

“I guess you **would** be the expert when it comes to obvious schemes, wouldn’t you?” Bulma quickly retorts, keeping her demeanor cool and confident.

Everyone save for Android 18 becomes visibly tense as they watch Bulma and Freeza continue to glare maliciously at one another, plastic smiles pasted on both their faces. Eager to change the subject, Butan clears his throat and steps forward to stand at Tori’s other side.

“Sweetheart, are these friends of yours?” he asks, sending his daughter an anxious smile.

“Y-Yes, father,” she nods, giving him a small smile back, “Everyone, this is Bulma and 18.” She gestures to the two women accordingly, watching as they shake hands with her father. She gives her family and Freeza a sheepish smile, “They’re going to be my bridal party.”

“I see,” Butan answers, seemingly more assured. He gives the two women a friendly smile, opening his arms in a welcoming manner, “Well, while unexpected, you’re both welcome all the same!” He opens the door, gesturing with his hand for them to go inside the shop, “Please, let’s all head inside now - the staff is no doubt waiting on us.”

As everyone heads inside, Tori catches eye of Freeza; he has a cold, hardened expression on his face - his eyes sharp, angular slits as he shoots her a displeased look. She gulps, feeling that familiar chill from before run through her body.

 

* * *

 

“So, what do you think of the selections we have so far?” the head pastry chef asks as he looks between Freeza and Tori, his hands clasped anxiously in front of him.

Tori looks between the slices of cake layed out in front of them, a sincere expression of struggle on her face as she tries to decide between them. “It’s really difficult to choose - they’re all very good,” she looks to Freeza, giving him a small smile, “What do you think?”

He keeps his arms crossed and his head turned away from her as he responds, “I have no preference either way.”

“Mph,” she slumps her shoulders as she looks at him, at a loss as to what to do with his stubborn sulking.

Glancing back at the table, she spots a piece he hadn’t tried yet - a slice of devil’s food cake with rich chocolate frosting. She picks it up, carving out a bite onto the fork before holding it out to him. He glances at her, looking between her and the fork.

“Are you going to feed me now?” he asks dryly.

The corners of her mouth turn up, a glint of mischief behind her innocent smile, “Well, you seem pretty made-up on keeping that rigid pose, so I suppose I have to.”

His scowl deepens as she brings the fork closer to his face. He squints his eyes at her impatiently in the form of a silent warning.

“Don’t you dare,” he says coldly, making most everyone else in the shop sweat anxiously. Still, she brings the fork closer to his mouth, making him lean his head back, “ **Stop it.** ”

She laughs lightly, bringing the bite of cake back to the plate before giving him a tired smile, “Well, you have to make some sort of decision with me.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” he growls, turning his head away from her.

She huffs through her nose, giving him an incredulous look. Turning back to the chef, she steps closer to the table.

“Can we do yellow cake with white frosting for the main cake and this one for the groom’s cake?” she asks, holding out the slice in her hands for reference.

The chef gives her a relieved smile, seemingly thankful for her ease as a customer. “Yes, of course,” he nods, immediately writing the order down.

Butan steps forward, giving his daughter an encouraging smile, “I think that’s an excellent choice, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, father,” she says a bit quietly as she gives him a meek smile, “I hope everyone will like it…”

Butan huffs, smiling at his daughter’s thoughtfulness. He rests one of his hands on her shoulder as he looks down at her, “Why don’t you all go have some tea while I finish up with the staff here?”

Tori smiles at him appreciatively before leaving with Android 18 and Bulma. They sit at a table in the seating area of the cake shop where they’re served tea shortly after. 18 picks up her tea cup, blowing away the steam and glancing up at Tori before she takes a sip.

“So, how is it going so far? Being engaged to Freeza, I mean,” she asks.

“Oh, um...it’s going just fine,” Tori gives a forced smile before catching a knowing look from Bulma. She sighs through her nose, slumping her shoulders a bit as she looks down at the table, “Or, well...it’s been a bit difficult, admittedly.”

“How so?” 18 presses, as if not already knowing the answer - or at least some possible theories.

Tori nibbles at her index fingernail, thinking hard about everything that’s transpired before giving her answer. She looks up at the android again, a tense expression on her face. “Well, he’s been a bit confrontational...and I feel he’s not really taking me seriously.”

“I guess that’s only natural,” 18 replies casually, setting down her teacup on its saucer, “He is used to running the show and getting his way; I don’t imagine he’s the type for a relationship.”

“I-Is that right?” Tori mutters quietly, looking down at her hands, which are rested in her lap and clenched between one another.

“Hey, don’t look so glum,” Bulma quickly says, giving Tori an encouraging smile. Resting her hand on her shoulder, she leans down to try and see her face, “You’re not gonna’ be marrying him anyway, remember? The plan and all that?”

Snapping back to her senses, Tori glances up at Bulma. “R-Right, of course,” she says meekly, having forgotten about their initial conversation the day before.

Android 18 watches Tori quietly, taking in her reaction to Bulma’s reminder. “Do you want to marry him, Tori?”

Tori and Bulma both jump, looking at the android incredulously.

“18, what kind of question is that? O-Of course she doesn’t!” Bulma nearly laughs as she answers, already having convinced herself it was a joke.

Android 18 shrugs, arms crossed as she leans back in her seat, blue eyes trailed off to the side, “I wasn’t sure if you’d actually forgotten or if maybe you were starting to get invested.”

“Um...” Tori pauses, genuinely wondering to herself which of the two it had been as she stares down at the table.

“A-Anyway, don’t worry too much about it; I’m sure he won’t be able to hold out much longer and he’ll let out what he’s up to, so just hang in there in the meantime,” Bulma quickly adds, patting Tori on the shoulder.

“Speaking of, has he said anything to you?” 18 asks as she takes another sip of her tea, “Or given you any ideas at least?”

“Well…” Tori rubs the back of her neck with her hand, recalling her and Freeza’s conversation from the night before, “More or less, yeah. If he was being honest, then he wants my help with some things.”

Bulma’s face lights up with curiosity at that last bit. “Wait, ‘your help?’ What do you mean?” she asks.

“Well, I didn’t get a chance to tell you on the phone,” Tori pauses, trying to find the best way to summarize it, “But last night, Freeza-”

“Talking about me behind my back, are we?” a familiar voice suddenly chimes in.

They all look to see Freeza standing at the edge of their table, his cold gaze directed mainly onto Tori. She gulps, feeling her skin prick up in a chill.

“No, no, of course not - we would never,” Bulma lilts as she sends him a cheeky grin, her hand waving in a dismissive motion.

“Hmph...well, then you won’t mind if I join you then?” he crosses his arms, pulling out one of the empty chairs with his tail before sitting down in a huff.

“N-Not at all! Help yourself to some tea if you’d like,” Tori quickly says as she sends him a smile.

“No thank you,” he responds dryly, turning his gaze from her.

Tori slumps back in her chair, feeling an overwhelming dread weigh into her at his cold response. If it weren’t for Bulma and 18’s presence, she might feel like completely keeling over.

“So, Freeza…” Bulma grins, looking as if she’s got the tyrant right where she wants him, “Why the sudden interest in marriage? Has lording over half the galaxy gotten to be lonely after all these years?”

He darts his red irises at her, his eyes narrowing in an impatient manner, “I have no ‘interest’ in marriage. As stated before, I’m participating in this union for peace between your people and mine. You should be thankful I’m so gracious and merciful and decided to accept…”

Bulma scoffs at his last few words, resting her jaw in her hand as she sends him a knowing smirk, “Oh, is that it? You’re sure you just haven’t given up on destroying the planet since Whis can just reverse it again?”

“A-Again?” Tori mutters quietly, receiving a cautionary shake of the head from Android 18.

Freeza groans, acting as if Bulma had spoiled some surprise. He leans back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest, giving the bold woman a flat look, “Either way, it’s really none of your business, so perhaps it’s best we talk about something else.”

“Alright,” Bulma gives a seemingly innocent smile before turning her head to Tori, “So, Tori, how do you feel about kids?”

Tori spurts up some of her tea, thankfully able to block her face with her tea cup as she recovers. Clearing her throat, she gives Bulma a betrayed look, “I-I like them well enough, I suppose. Why do you ask?”

“Ever think of having some of your own?” Bulma asks, grinning wider as she looks at Tori intently.

Tori feels her face run hot and - despite not being able to see him - that Freeza is looking directly at her. She stammers as she tries to think of what to say, “I mean, I don’t - I’m not-”

“Oh, I’m just messing with you,” Bulma teases, waving her hand dismissively, “I ask because there’s a few of us that have kids and I wanted to make sure you were okay with them being at the wedding.”

Tori sighs in relief as she sets down her cup, “Oh, I don’t mind.” She quickly remembers Freeza, and gives him an apologetic look, “I-I mean, I think that should be okay.”

“I don’t mind myself so long as they don’t make a nuisance of themselves,” he responds casually, really not seeming invested in the smaller details.

“Alright, good to know,” Bulma smiles, “We have Goku’s youngest son Goten and my little Trunks if you want either of them to be ring bearer.”

“ **That** , I do mind...” Freeza quickly adds, his eyes narrowing at Bulma.

She shrugs before going for another sip of her tea, “Alright - not as if you have a lot of options, though..”

Tori looks between the three of them, thinking desperately for something else they could talk about. Perking up, she looks at Bulma again.

“S-So, Bulma, you mentioned a boy named Trunks? He’s your and Vegeta’s son?” she asks quickly, trying to mask the desperation in her voice.

Bulma lowers her tea, smiling brightly back at Tori, “Yeah, and we just had a baby girl recently, too.” She pulls out her phone, holding it out for Tori to see a picture of Vegeta holding Bulla and Trunks eagerly trying to hold her himself.

Tori smiles as she looks over the photo, “They’re adorable - you must be so happy.”

“Oh, yeah,” Bulma beams, pulling her phone back to look at the picture herself, “Vegeta definitely wasn’t father of the year when Trunks was first born, but he’s really come around and is honestly a real natural with them.”

Freeza scoffs, making Tori tense up nervously, thinking that Bulma might react. She quickly looks to Android 18, an anxious smile on her face.

“Wh-What about you, 18? Do you have family or any kids of your own?”

“Yeah,” 18 responds in her usual dry tone. She digs in her purse to pull out her phone, holding it out so Tori can see the lock screen - an image of herself with a shorter man with spiky black hair and a young girl that looks like a mix of the both of them, “That’s my husband Krillin and our daughter Marron.”

Tori smiles again, feeling the same warmth from when she saw Bulma’s photo, “Oh, 18, she’s beautiful - and your husband seems really nice.”

“Thanks,” the android gives a small smile back as she puts away her phone, “He works as a police officer; it can get a little hectic, but it’s no problem for him.”

Freeza rolls his eyes, hardly able to believe that puny earthling could manage anything, despite his success in the Tournament of Power - which he mostly attributed to his android of a wife.

“So what about you, Freeza?” Android 18 suddenly asks, as if sensing the tyrant’s condescending thoughts about her husband. She looks at him over the rim of her teacup, “Have you ever considered having children of your own?”

Freeza looks at the android a bit incredulously; even Bulma and Tori end up giving her a disbelieving look. 18 shrugs a bit as she sips at her tea.

“Well…” he holds an index finger to his chin as he looks off in the distance, giving the question a good amount of thought, “I suppose - since I’ve given up on my pursuit for immortality - it would be a wise decision.”

“So you’d only have one for an heir to your empire, huh?” Bulma asks as her chin remains rested in her hand, trying to sound surprised.

“Of course, what else are offspring for but to continue a lineage?” he scoffs, giving Bulma a provoking smirk, “Though I forget sometimes that your people have them for more sentimental reasons - like a pet you can raise in your own image.”

Tori looks between the three of them, sensing a formidable amount of tension - even from Android 18. “Um, Freeza?” she mutters hesitantly. His red eyes dart to her, making her tense again. She leans in, keeping her voice low as she speaks, “Can I talk to you for a moment, please? Alone?...”

He scans over her for a moment, trying to read what her intentions might be. He sighs, ultimately giving in.

“I suppose,” he feigns an inconvenienced tone as he stands up from the table. Tori follows suit, and so do Bulma and Android 18. He chuckles, giving the them both a satisfied look, “Apologies, ladies, but my fiancée wishes to speak to me in private. Surely you’ll respect her wishes?”

Bulma gives him a disdainful look before eventually sitting back down - 18 following after. “Alright, but you better keep your hands to yourself, mister. You hear me?” she chides.

He huffs, placing his hand over his chest as he gives her a small bow, “Please, I wouldn’t **dream** of doing otherwise.”

With that, the two of them make their way for the door leading out and in front of the shop, Freeza giving the two ladies one last sneer before they exit. They turn the corner and stop in a sort of alleyway between the cake shop and another building.

Tori turns to him, feeling the overwhelming weight of his presence now that they’re alone. Taking a quick breath, she tries to maintain a confident demeanor as she looks him square in the face, hands held behind her back.

“Freeza, can I ask you a favor?” she asks softly.

He’s taken back by her gentle tone - enough to even relax a bit himself. His shoulders slacken, arms folded behind his back and eyes tentatively set on her, “Go on.”

She already feels her confidence begin to crumble as she mulls over what to say - or, rather, how to say it. Bringing her arms forward, she crosses and tucks them over her midriff, looking at him a bit stiffly.

“Do you think you could...not be so provocative with the girls?” she finally requests, albeit it hesitantly.

“What do you mean?” he responds, genuinely unsure of what she’s asking.

She huffs tiredly, not at all surprised by his answer. “I mean, could you maybe not say things to purposefully upset them?”

He scoffs, bringing one of his hands to rest over his chest and tilting his head to the side, giving himself an overall haughty stance, “Really, my dear, I have no idea as to what you’re talking about.”

She gives him a knowing look, not willing to let his dismissive behavior get the better of her. “I know you all have a past, but they’re here to help with our wedding, so I think it’s best if we all at least try to get along.”

“You have no idea the sort of past I have, woman,” he quickly chides, folding his arms back behind him.

“I might if you would tell me,” she replies quietly, feeling a substantial distance between them.

“I’m not sure I’m at liberty to,” he says casually, steering his piercing red gaze back towards her, “Especially not if you intend to flit about, passing every little thing I say to those two moles.”

She tenses, panicking internally at the thought that she might have said something risqué while he was able to hear. “Wh-What do you mean?”

“I **mean** just before I came to break up your little congregation - you were about to share with them what I’d discussed with you last night,” he responds matter-of-factly.

“I-I didn’t know you didn’t want me sharing that,” she admits sheepishly, hands fidgeting between one another in an anxious fit, “I’m sorry…”

“Hmph,” he huffs, unaffected by her apology, his arms crossed back in front of him, “But you’ve shown where your loyalties lie; after all, those two have done their fair share of provoking since their arrival, and yet you haven’t tried to stop them in any way.” He turns his head away from her, seemingly genuine in his disappointment, “I suppose it’s obvious who you prefer…”

His words weigh at her heart, making her clench at her sleeves tautly. “Freeza, that isn’t it…”

He scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. “Then, please, do enlighten me.”

Pursing her lips, she takes a step forward, stopping just in front of him. He glances down at her, head still mostly turned away, arms still stiffly crossed over his chest. He can just barely see the glint of her auburn eyes behind those think bottle caps for glasses.

“Freeza,” she says again, more gently this time, raising her hands up to clasp in front of her chest.

She looks up at him with a certain sincerity on her face, making him feel a substantial amount of unease - not sure what he should be anticipating.

“I promise that’s not all true,” she continues, “I’m sorry if bringing them here made you feel at all betrayed or cheated. That wasn’t my intention…”

He looks down for a moment, scanning over her with his intimidating red gaze, thinking over her apology. She looks at him more earnestly, making him tense. Not used to feeling this sort of pressure, he darts his eyes away, unable to look at her face any longer without a sense of alarm - mostly at his sudden willingness to forgive her.

“Keep your apologies; I’ll be judging you solely on your actions,” he says coldly.

She stands stiffly as he briskly walks past her, arms folded behind his back. Quickly snapping to, she turns to follow after him.

“W-Wait a second!” she calls, stepping in front of him. He shoots her an icy look, making her flinch.

“Get out of my way, woman,” he commands, an explosive outburst lurking just behind his words.

She huffs, pursing her lips, “Freeza, please - just listen to me...”

He narrows his eyes at her, having reached the limit of his patience. “If you’re so insistent on flapping your gums, then go do it with your new confidants instead!” he barks, finally pressing on her last nerve.

She grits her teeth, face running hot and fists clenched as he walks past her a second time. She turns, feet set firmly in place - as if preparing for some sort of attack. “Just because you’re jealous doesn’t mean you should take it out on me!”

He stops dead in his tracks, making her blood run cold. Her heated demeanor melts away the instant he turns his head to look at her over his shoulder.

“What did you say?” he asks lowly, an unnerving edge to his voice.

She can’t even utter a single word in response. Her knees shake as he turns and makes a beeline towards her. She backs up clumsily, nearly tumbling over a small trash can before reaching the wall.

He finally stops, looming down over her like a starved vulture. She gulps as he looks over her, unnerved by her previous words, but now feeling even more frustrated by the look of terror on her face.

“Tsk,” he turns his head from her, then his body, tail sweeping behind him as he quickly walks away. She watches unsurely until he stops at the edge of the alleyway, looking at her over his shoulder. “I’m returning to my ship,” he says flatly, an unreadable expression on his face, “I leave any remaining arrangements waiting for us today to you.”

Before she can say anything, he zips off into the sky. She shields herself from the gusting wind made by his lift-off, left to watch after him in utter confusion and disbelief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of dialogue in this chapter, but I really wanted the characters to have a chance to sit down and talk with one another.
> 
> I'm excited to be getting deeper into the story, and I hope you guys are, too! ^^


	5. Limits Reached

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori's secret is finally revealed, and it's a shocking one at that.
> 
> Are her fears of scaring everyone off justified? Or will the new people in her life be more accepting than the old?

“So Freeza’s really turned in for the day?” Butan asks, having just been filled in by his daughter.

“Y-Yeah,” she replies sheepishly as she’s fitted for her wedding dress, currently standing behind a partition, “He said he would leave whatever else was scheduled today to me.”

“I see,” Butan nods, looking down at the ground with a sense of dread, “Then we’ll fill him in on the arrangements once we return. I just hope he hasn’t become too upset...”

“I doubt it’s anything we should worry about, darling,” Masu chimes in as she looks over another dress displayed on a mannequin, “All couples fight - particularly newlyweds. There are many points of tension before a wedding, after all.”

“I suppose,” Butan replies, still not sounding wholly reassured.

Bulma, who’s sitting on one of the lavish couches set in the parlor room, leans in closer to Android 18, keeping her voice rather low.

“What about you, 18? Do you think Freeza’s about to snap?” she asks quietly.

Android 18 huffs, having a confident air about her as she speaks, “I think it’s just like Tori said - he’s jealous.”

“But are you sure someone like Freeza can even get jealous?” Bulma pries, not convinced herself.

“Of course he can,” the android smirks as she glances back at Bulma, “He wants to have complete control over her and we’re getting in the way of that.”

“I guess,” Bulma mutters unsurely.

“How is it going so far, sweetheart?” Butan asks, becoming somewhat concerned at the amount of time it’s taking for the fitting.

“I think we’re almost there?” she replies, feeling uncertain as she watches the tailor continue to pull and fasten at various things.

“Yes, nearly done,” the tailor confirms, standing up once he’s finished, “Now, what do you think?”

“Um…” Tori mutters as she squints into the mirror.

She lowers her head, frustrated that she can’t even see herself clearly in her own wedding dress. Thinking for a moment, she reaches up for the stems of her glasses, taking hold of them and hesitantly sliding them off over her ears.

Her face drops as she’s finally able to see the dress. It’s over the top and gaudy, with shimmering jewels tacked on all over the tightly-sewn bodice. Dramatically poofed out ruffles make up the skirt, which are stacked from the waist down to the floor, making her feel swallowed whole.

Suddenly, the tailor slides the partition away, revealing her to her family and friends. She quickly turns around, giving them all an embarrassed look. Bulma gasps, hands clasped over her mouth. Even Android 18 has a look of surprise on her face.

“Oh, my gosh!” Bulma exclaims, standing up from the couch.

Tori feels her face flush red as she looks at them, fidgeting with the folded up glasses in her hands. “D-Does it look nice…?” she asks, wondering if maybe her own bias was affecting her opinion.

Bulma snaps out of her state of awe, blinking at Tori in surprise. “Oh, no, not the dress. It actually looks kind of...frumpy?”

Tori looks at Bulma in confusion as she walks closer, tensing up as she’s studied over.

“It’s your eyes - your face,” Bulma says with that same awestruck tone from before, “You’re so pretty!”

“H-Huh?” Tori stutters, her cheeks blushing red.

“Bulma,” Android 18 chimes in, giving her a scolding look.

“Sorry,” Bulma apologizes, giving 18 a sheepish smile before looking back at Tori, “I didn’t mean for it to sound that way, but it’s just I had no idea - not that you weren’t beautiful before, but those glasses just hide so much of your face.”

Yaki - who’s currently sitting next to her father - rolls her eyes, feeling ready to gag over Bulma’s words. She folds her arms in front of her before leaning back in her seat impatiently.

“If you want I can always make you an alternative for them,” Bulma continues, giving Tori an eager smile.

“W-Well...” Tori mutters, making Bulma tilt her head curiously. She thinks for a moment, wondering if she may be able to trust Bulma and 18 with even her innermost secret. “I-It’s just - I need them to…”

Butan takes Tori’s hesitation as an opportunity to cut in, clearing his throat and scooting to the edge of his seat, giving her and the tailor an eager look. “S-So, how is the fit?”

“Well…” the tailor rubs at his chin thoughtfully as he walks a slow, studious circle around Tori, “With the change in brides, there are a few things that aren’t fitting quite the same; the bust is a bit large for her, and the waist is too tight as well.”

Yaki snickers to herself, which Tori catches eye of - making her feel about two inches tall. She looks down over herself, gulping at the overwhelming feeling of insecurity it brings.

“I-I don’t think I can wear this…” she admits hesitantly, “It just doesn’t feel...right.”

Masu looks from the line of displayed dresses to Tori, giving her daughter a tired look. “The dress is already paid for and it would take too much time to look for another,” she says sternly, “You’ll just have to make due with it.”

Tori ducks her head again, feeling the weight of her mother’s strict stare. “Y-Yes, mother…”

“Now hang on a second!” Bulma snaps, making Tori’s parents jump and look at her in surprise. “This is your daughter we’re talking about,” she continues angrily, “You’re already forcing her to marry a bloodthirsty tyrant, the **least** you can do is let her pick out her own dress!”

Tori’s family looks at Bulma incredulously, taken back by her passionate words.

“Plus you’ve proven money is no object,” 18 adds casually, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear, her intense blue eyes focusing on them, “It doesn’t seem fair to spoil one daughter and not the other…”

Steam may as well be coming out of Masu’s ears as she looks between the two of them. Fists clenched at her sides, she opens her mouth to object.

“Y-You’re right,” Butan says suddenly as he gives his daughter an apologetic look, “I’m sorry, Tori. I’ll have them gather some more gowns and we’ll come back again at a later time.”

Tori’s expression softens as she gives him a thankful smile in return, “Thank you, father…”

“I’ll pull together some pieces and call you when they’re ready,” the tailor remarks before turning to Tori, “Now let’s get you out of that dreadful thing.”

Yaki frowns at the continuous attack on what was supposed to be her dress, slumping back in her seat in a pout. Butan stands from beside her and looks between all of them.

“I’m going to go and make sure the car is ready for us to depart,” he says cheerily, giving Bulma and Android 18 a particularly grateful look, “I’ll meet you all downstairs when you’re ready.”

Masu crosses her arms, glancing at Bulma and 18 disdainfully. “I’ll be going with you,” she says, turning in a huff before making her way for the stairs leading down from the parlor, “Come, Yaki!”

Yaki stands up from her seat, ready to follow after her parents. She glances to the side, watching as the tailor pulls the partition back out, simultaneously setting Tori’s glasses on a nearby table.

Yaki’s eyebrows raise, quickly looking to Bulma and 18, who are debating over some of the dresses lined up nearby. Biting her lip thoughtfully, Yaki quickly steps over to the table, swiping up Tori’s glasses and sticking them in her purse. With a sly smirk and a flick of her hair, she turns and quickly leaves to join her parents.

 

* * *

 

“I’m excited to see what sort of dresses he comes up with,” Bulma says cheerfully as she, 18, and Tori come down the parlor steps, “Hopefully they’ll complement you a lot better.”

“Speaking of…” 18 suddenly chimes in, making them both turn their heads. She looks down at Tori, speaking in her same usual monotone, “What sort of dresses are you going to have us wear?”

“Oh, that’s right,” Tori holds her hand up to her chin, having forgotten all about needing to find dresses for her bridal party, “I hadn’t even thought of that.”

As they come to the bottom of the stairs, Tori feels a sudden throbbing in her head, making her stumble over the last step, just barely catching herself on the railing. Bulma and 18 stop as well, looking back at her as she holds her hand to the side of her head, wincing in pain.

“What’s wrong?” Bulma asks, sounding concerned.

Looking down at the ground, Tori has a sudden realization. “N-No, I’m fine,” she looks up at the two of them, giving them both a small smile, “But I did just remember I forgot my glasses.”

Android 18 crosses her arms, looking over Tori with a sort of inspective look. “You’ve been doing fine without them so far.”

“Y-Yeah, but I should really go get them anyway,” Tori begins to step back, masking her anxious demeanor with a forced smile, “Plus I can ask him about your dresses while I’m up there. B-Be right back!”

Before the two of them can say anymore, Tori quickly rushes back up the stairs to the parlor. She smiles upon seeing the tailor still right where they’d left him, busily packing away the dress she’d tried on along with some other things.

“E-Excuse me,” she squeaks quietly as she approaches him. He looks over to her, prompting her to continue. “I’d actually forgotten to ask if you might be able to gather some bridesmaids dresses as well. If it’s not too much trouble, that is…”

“Not at all,” he responds casually, waving his hand in a dismissive manor, “I’ll look for them the same time as your new gown.”

“Thank you,” she breathes a small sigh of relief, giving him a sweet smile, “Also, do you happen to know where my glasses are? I almost left without them.”

“Oh, yes, right,” he says, pointing to the side, “I left them on that table over there.”

She quickly turns and walks over to the place he’d pointed out. Her heart drops, though, when she comes to stop at an empty end table. Panic already beginning to set in, she turns her head to look at him.

“Um, th-they’re not here,” she says shakily.

He perks his head up, walking over to join her. He looks over the small table, opening the drawer and raising his brow curiously, “That’s odd, I know I put them right here.”

Her heart races as she watches him stoop down to look beside, behind, and even under the table, only to stand up empty-handed.

“Perhaps I moved them while packing some other things away? But I don’t remember…” he trails off as he tries to recall, scratching the side of his head.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Bulma and 18 continue to wait downstairs just outside the shop. Butan walks up to them, having finished working with the valet to set up the hover car.

“Is she still not down yet?” he asks, feeling somewhat worried.

Bulma turns to look at him, arms folded over her middle. “No, she forgot her glasses so she went back upstairs to get them,” she says casually, despite feeling a little unsure herself.

They all turn once Tori comes walking out the door. Glasses still not in hand, she stands tensely in front of them, head lowered as if she can’t even manage to look them in the eye.

“No luck?” Bulma asks, giving her a worried look.

Tori shakes her head, looking up at the three of them anxiously. “We looked through the whole parlor - even the lobby,” she says quietly, not even wanting to hear the words herself.

“Well, maybe they’ll turn up as the day goes on,” Bulma says, giving her a hopeful smile, “They’re bound to turn up eventually.”

Tori nods solemnly, not feeling wholly reassured despite Bulma’s encouragement - even Butan starts to feel a bit worried. He steps over to his daughter, hands rested on her shoulders as he looks down over her.

“Do you think you can make it through the day, sweetheart?” he asks quietly, not wanting the others to hear, “We can head back to the hotel for now if you’d prefer.”

Tori lifts her head, catching eye of Bulma and 18’s quizzical expressions. She panics at the thought that they might catch on to her strange behavior.

Raising her head, she gives her father a forced smile. “N-No, I’ll be fine - really.”

He gives her an unsure look before taking his hands from her shoulders, “Alright, only if you’re sure.”

Tori walks past him, giving Bulma and 18 a pleasant smile, “L-Let’s get going, shall we?”

The two of them watch her as she continues on to the car, exchanging suspicious looks with one another before following to join her. Butan sighs as he makes a small prayer to himself, hopeful that the worst won’t come to pass.

 

* * *

 

The car ride that follows is a long one - or it feels long, at least, as Tori tries to keep herself mentally grounded, which proves difficult as her head continues to ache, the pain increasing with each passing minute.

She looks ahead to the the row in front of her where her father, mother, and sister are seated. She thinks to herself as she watches Yaki chatter and laugh cheerfully with their mother, noting that she’d been in a noticeably better mood since they left the dress shop. As she continues to speculate, Bulma gives her a concerned look.

“Are you sure you’re alright? You’ve been pretty down and out since the parlor,” she says lowly.

Tori glances at her, giving her a small smile. “I-I’m fine, I promise.”

“You can tell us if something’s wrong, you know,” 18 suddenly chimes in, glancing at Tori from the corner of her eye as she sits with her jaw rested in her hand.

Tori ducks her head in an effort to avoid both their gazes. She thinks desperately to herself, not wanting to distance the closest people she’s had to friends, but also not feeling confident in telling them the truth.

Her worst fear was driving them away.

“I’m fine, really,” she insists in a calm, gentle tone, eyes glued to the car floor, “I think everything that’s been happening is just weighing on me a bit; between suddenly being engaged to someone like Freeza, as well as trying to keep up with all the little details - it’s been a lot…” She raises her head, giving them each a small, tired smile, “Which is why I’m especially glad you’re both here to help me - so thank you for that.”

Android 18 and Bulma both look down at Tori, then at each other, exchanging unconvinced looks - unable to let go of the feeling that something else is bothering her.

Just then, the hover car begins to slow, eventually coming to a halt and lowering down onto a parking spot. They all exit the car, gathering outside the entrance to the venue spot. Bulma looks over the sign, her face lighting up as she comes to a realization.

“Oh, wow, you’re having your wedding here?” she asks Tori, eyes still glued to the sign.

“You know this place?” 18 asks, raising a brow at Bulma.

“Oh, yeah, it’s pretty popular amongst the scientific community - particularly those interested in botany, ” Bulma gives the android a wide smile, “It’s a non-profit that works to propagate and study rare species of plants; they sometimes rent it out as a venue and use the profits to finance their research.”

“So, it’s basically a huge garden?” 18 asks, giving Bulma a blank look.

“Basically,” Bulma smirks, looking down at Tori, “At least it’s a better hand-me-down than the dress was, right?”

“Yeah,” Tori says a bit tiredly, barely managing to give even a small smile, “It’s very beautiful here - I wish I knew what Freeza thought of it, though.”

Bulma looks over her curiously, smirking a bit to herself, “Well, he did say he was leaving you in charge. So it’s really up to what you think of it, isn’t it?”

Tori lowers her head, not sure how she feels about having so much responsibility, “I-I suppose that’s true, isn’t it?”

“Well, let’s head on in then, shall we?” Bulma says, pointing to the entrance with her thumb.

They join the others before heading into the garden, Tori silently hoping their trip here will be over quickly.

 

* * *

 

An hour passes as they attend to the set-up for the venue, which will be hosting the initial ceremony and the reception. Tori and the others are pulled every which way, asked for opinions and final decisions on everything from decorations to the place settings.

She remains fairly airheaded throughout the whole ordeal, focusing mostly on keeping herself centered. The pain in her head and the strain in her eyes have become so severe that she’s hardly able to focus on any given task for more than a minute at a time - each time her father aks, though, she insists she’s still alright.

“Just a little longer,” she mumbles to herself, half in a daze as she’s guided to the next area of concern.

“What’s that?” Bulma asks, who’s walking by her side.

“U-Uh, nothing,” Tori quickly responds, giving her a small smile, “Just talking to myself.”

As they continue to walk, Tori catches eye of her sister sitting in the impromptu reception area. She’s looking quite pleased with herself, typing away on her phone without a care in the world. Tori narrows her eyes suspiciously as she returns to a suspicion that had been nagging at her since the parlor.

Suddenly, she halts, making Bulma and 18 slow down to a stop as well. “U-Um, I’m sorry, but I’ll be right back,” she says, giving them both an apologetic look, “I just need to go ask Yaki something really quickly.”

With that, she sets off in a brisk walk towards her sister. Her mind feels heavy, weighted down by an unseen force as her eyes dart between her surroundings. Ultimately, she drops her gaze to the ground, finding it to be a much easier focal point.

Yaki glances up as Tori stops beside her. She remains nonchalant, lowering her gaze back to her phone.

“What do you want?” she asks coolly, sounding inconvenienced.

Tori narrows her eyes, not feeling in the mood for her sister’s games. “Where are my glasses?” she asks, doing her best to keep her voice calm.

A satisfied smile spreads across Yaki’s face, her eyes still glued on her phone, “How should I know?”

Tori shuts her eyes for a moment, head aching to the point of throbbing. “I know you have them, Yaki. Now give them back - **please**.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about,” Yaki hums, putting her phone away as she stands up, swinging her purse strap over her shoulder. She smirks down at her younger sister, an imperious look on her face. “Why don’t you ask your new friends to help you find them?”

Tori feels her face run hot as Yaki walks past her, bringing her back to her interaction with Freeza from earlier that day - only now she didn’t have the capacity needed to be nearly as patient. Fists clenched at her sides, she turns to watch her sister continue to stroll away.

“You know what will happen if you don’t give them back to me,” Tori presses, a slightly dark undertone to her voice.

Yaki stops, scoffing and flicking her hair as she turns to look back at her baby sister. “Are you threatening me now?”

“You know that isn’t it, Yaki,” Tori retorts, keeping her voice low, “Just do yourself and everyone here a favor and give them back to me - I’ve already tried asking nicely.”

“I already told you I don’t have them!” Yaki barks, crossing her arms impatiently.

Tori groans, cupping her hands over her ears and hunching over in pain at her sister’s shrill voice. “Just give them back already before it’s too late!” she shouts, catching the attention of some of the nearby staff, as well as their parents.

“Shh!” Yaki looks around in a panic - particularly at their father - then back at her distraught sister. “Alright, alright! Don’t make such a scene!” she pulls the glasses from her purse, making Tori’s eyes light up. “Sheesh, I can’t believe you’re still throwing tantrums - you’re such a child,” Yaki hisses snidely as she walks forward.

Tori quickly rushes to meet her halfway, eagerly grabbing at the glasses - accidentally knocking them out of her sister’s hands.

“Ah - no!” she yelps, attempting to catch them before they fall to the floor, feeling them slip just past her fingers.

They fall to the ground, making a small ‘clink’ sound as the bounce off the stone surface. Tori’s eyes widen as she sees one of the lenses has cracked.

“No!” she calls out again, kneeling down on the floor to gather them up in her hands, “Yaki, this is all your fault!”

“Hey, keep your voice down - **you** knocked them out of my hand!” Yaki quickly counters, not willing to accept the fault.

Tori grits her teeth, glaring up at her as she gets back to her feet, “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t taken them in the first place!”

Yaki shudders at the piercing anger in her sister’s eyes, holding her hands up in a defensive position as she steps back. “Calm down, will you? Y-You’re making a scene again!”

Tori grunts, lowering her head as she cups the sides of it with her hands. “My head feels like it’s splitting in half and it’s all your fault!” she shouts, shaking her head side to side.

Yaki’s heart pounds fearfully as she watches some of the objects behind Tori twitch and shake. She gulps, focusing back on her sister, “Y-You’d better stop!”

Tori remains still, eyes shut tightly as she attempts to work through the pain in her head, which has become so severe that she can hardly think - only able to beg internally for relief from it.

“Tori?” Bulma spots Tori in her current state from across the courtyard. She quickly rushes over - followed by 18 - slowing as she approaches her from behind. “Tori, what’s wrong?” she asks, feeling even more concerned as she doesn’t get an answer.

Android 18 squints, studying over Tori’s condition closely. Her eyes widen in realization, reaching out for Bulma as she feels a sudden rise in energy, “Watch out!”

“Aaaaaah!” Tori cries out in pain as she reaches her limit. The pressure in her head releases, a bittersweet relief washing over her as a powerful surge pulses from her body, shattering near everything in its path - from the stone bricks beneath her feet to the tables and chairs arranged in their once-orderly setting.

Yaki yelps as she’s sent barreling back. 18 manages to catch Bulma, not nearly as affected by the blast herself. Some of the staff call out fearfully as they’re shoved down by an invisible force. Tori’s mother and father are also pushed back, leaving Butan to look on in distress.

The pain finally gone from her head, Tori peeks her head up hesitantly, only to see a gathering of fearful faces staring back at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tori was Psyduck all along.
> 
> Sorry to end on such a cliff hanger, but drama and all that~
> 
> Also, I know Freeza wasn't at all in this chapter, but I promise he'll be back in the next one! ^^


	6. Anesthetic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori's powers continue to spiral out of control. Thankfully, Freeza provides his own version of a 'sedative' to diffuse the situation.
> 
> Tori's father also provides some background on her abilities, still only revealing part of her puzzling story.

“The nerve of that woman,” Freeza grumbles to himself as he paces back and forth, having taken to the privacy of his ship’s communication room. “Saying such things to me - as if she has the authority!” he seethes, shaking his head.

With a sigh, he stops next to the room’s large, domed window, lost in thought as he stares out at the surrounding cityscape.

“Me, ‘jealous?’” he scowls, able to sense her strange power level even from this distance, “How absurd…”

“Absurd indeed,” a familiar voice suddenly chimes in, making him jolt.

Turning his head, he spots his attendant, Beriblu, off to the side and looking busy. He huffs, eyes closing as he turns his head back towards the window defeatedly.

“It seems I managed to miss your presence amidst my own frustration, Beriblu,” he admits.

She sends him a mischievous look from over her shoulder as she asks, “And what has you so troubled, my lord?”

He scoffs, keeping his gaze focused out the window, “You ask as if you don’t already know.”

She strolls up to the tyrant with a casually, stopping just at his side to share his view of the city. “Perhaps speaking of it out loud will help to alleviate these frustrations of yours?”

“There’s nothing to speak of,” he responds stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest, “She’s being difficult is all.”

“In what way?” Beriblu presses calmly.

He groans, feeling irritated at just having to recall it. “She’s gone and brought in the allies of those blasted Saiyans,” his voice lowers back to a grumble as he continues, “No doubt in an attempt to pressure me…”

“And you believe these allies to be a threat to you?” Beriblu asks, glancing at him from the corner of her eye, “As well as that she would risk angering you by recruiting them for such a purpose?”

He darts his eyes to the side, frowning in a near pout as he mumbles in response, “She claims not to have, but I’m disinclined to believe her.”

“And why not? If she says it is so, then you’ve no reason not to believe her,” Beriblu insists flatly. Turning to face the tyrant, she raises a brow at him curiously. “Is that not the point of this whole affair?”

“She hasn’t earned my trust is why,” he hisses, narrowing his eyes in the direction of her energy.

Beriblu smirks up at him knowingly, “I’ve a feeling you’ll make such a thing difficult for her to attain, Lord Freeza.”

He frowns, glancing down at her impatiently. “She’s not made it easy for me thus far either - she jumps and cowers in fear at my every move as if I’ll destroy her on the spot.”

Beriblu tilts her head while giving him an amused smirk, “Wouldn’t you though?”

He eyes over his attendant carefully, finally giving her a haughty turn of his head. “Of course not,” he scoffs, eyes moving to look back out the window, “She’s far too valuable to my cause.”

“Hmm,” Beriblu hums, giving him a knowing look before turning back to the window herself, “Then I suppose you may have to make some changes for her sake, my lord.”

“Nonsense,” he sneers, tail flicking restlessly behind him, “I simply need to be more mindful about these things and take more tactful steps moving forward.”

He suddenly perks up, eyes widening as he continues to look out the large window, causing Beriblu to give him a curious glance.

“What is it, Lord Freeza?” she asks.

He only grins, his eyes narrowing as he stares in the direction of an unexpectedly spiked ki level, a mischievous expression spreading over his face.

“My patience has finally been rewarded, is all,” he cooes, hardly able to mask his excitement.

 

* * *

  

“Tori!” Bulma calls out as she frantically rushes forward, only to be grabbed by 18.

“Hang on!” the android calls out, pulling Bulma back just before she can be struck by a flying chair.

Bulma yelps fearfully as she watches the chair shatter onto the ground in font of them. Looking up, she sees Tori still standing with her hands over her ears and her head ducked down. Turning her head, Bulma looks back at Android 18.

“We have to help her!” she calls out, struggling to hear anything herself over the spiraling winds.

18 raises her head to look at Tori, then at the surrounding chaos. She spots Tori’s family and the staff huddled together behind some overturned tables, sheltering themselves away from the flying debris.

“We have to get everyone out of here first,” she says, looking back down at Bulma.

Bulma looks to the cowering onlookers, to Tori, then back to 18. Reluctantly, she nods in agreement.

As the two of them rush off to help evacuate the others, Tori remains standing in the middle of her own crippling aura while trying desperately to gain a hold on her powers, deaf to everything going on around her.

“Please, stop - make it stop!” she mumbles to herself, hands held over her ears. She shakes her head as she continues to struggle, not knowing how to flip a switch she can’t find.

“Tori!” Butan calls out, fighting against Android 18’s grip to no avail. “Please! My daughter - save my daughter!” he pleads as she pulls him away to safety.

Suddenly, a familiar figure comes into view; Freeza steps calmly past the fleeing crowd, stopping just at the edge of the courtyard. Hand on his hip, he looks down to see Tori’s encapsulating aura slowly stretching farther and farther across the stone ground, crackling each individual brick as it spreads. He chuckles, shaking his head in a scolding manner.

“Oh, my. What a mess you’ve made here,” he tsks, an unreasonably pleasant ring to his voice.

Bulma stops mid-evacuation to send Freeza an impatient scowl. “Hey, if you’re just gonna’ stand there and do nothing, then get lost, will you?!” she shouts.

The tyrant sends her a coy smirk from over his shoulder, clearly enjoying himself amidst all the chaos. “Very well - I’ll put an end to this quickly.”

As he phases away - moving far too fast for her eyes to see - Bulma perks up in realization. “H-Hey, what do you mean exactly? Get back here!” she calls after him angrily.

Tori’s eyes flutter open, sensing a presence just in front of her. Looking up, she sees Freeza looming over her, unaffected by the weight of her crippling ki.

“Freeza…?” she mutters tiredly, feeling a strange relief at the sight of him.

“It seems we have much to discuss after this,” he muses while giving her a casual look, “But for now-”

Her vision suddenly goes dark as he delivers a swift strike to her neck - not enough to be injurious, but enough to knock her out cold. Body going limp, she falls forward into his arms, the flying debris and tense aura dropping along with her.

He smiles a bit to himself as he looks down at her, an ambiguously dark undertone to his expression.

“Yes, much to discuss indeed…”

 

* * *

 

“We’ll see you back at the hotel, darling,” Masu says, pulling her purse strap over her shoulder before eyeing her husband flatly, “I’ll have them send the hover car back for you once we’re done.”

Butan gives his wife a pleading look, keeping his voice low so the others won’t hear. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay, dear? I’m sure she’ll wake up at any moment.”

She huffs, turning her nose up at him, “I don’t believe that’s necessary; she has plenty of people waiting on her already.”

He frowns, turning his attention to Yaki, who’s standing just beside Masu. “And you, Yaki?”

Yaki doesn’t respond, only keeping her eyes pinned to the side and a perpetual pout on her face as she stands stiffly with her left arm tucked over her stomach, the other casted and strung up in a sling.

Butan slumps his shoulders in defeat, giving his wife and eldest daughter one last sorrowful look. “Alright...safe travels back to the hotel then, you two.”

With their farewells over and done, Masu and Yaki make their way down the long hospital corridor, with Yaki giving one last wayward glance over her shoulder before they disappear from view.

Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Bulma, Android 18, and Freeza remain in wait for Tori to wake up - Bulma seated at her side, 18 on the couch next to a television, and Freeza leaned against the wall closest to the window.

“Officials are still reluctant to give us answers on what transpired at The Grove this afternoon,” a news broadcaster announces from the TV, “The mayor has also been avoidant when questioned about the strange anomaly, leading some to believe this may have to do with his connection to a similar incident that occurred just ten years ago-”

The TV blackens as 18 shuts it off, setting the remote aside. She glances at Bulma, who’s still seated at Tori’s side. Bulma huffs, checking her wristwatch for what might be the hundredth time.

“It’s been three hours…” she sighs worriedly, looking back up at the unconscious Tori.

“Her vitals are still stable,” 18 chimes in, keeping her voice gentle, “I’m sure her body is just taking the time it needs to recover.”

Bulma purses her lips, still fearing the worst. Freeza, however, continues to stand quietly in the corner, eyes closed and arms crossed over his chest. His mind is much too busy to hear the others as he mulls over his fiancée’s abilities. His head perks up, though, as Butan reenters the room, peeking one of his eyes open at the man curiously.

Tori’s father looks over the three of them, feeling a conflicting mixture of gratefulness and guilt.

“If you all have to return home, I understand,” he says, “It is getting quite late.”

Bulma looks up in his direction, giving him a small smile. “I’mfine for a bit longer,” she says, turning back to Android 18, “What about you, 18? Is Krillin still waiting up for you?”

The android’s icy blue eyes glance over at Bulma, her body unmoving on the couch, arms and legs crossed rigidly. “I already called him - he understands.”

“Well, I’m thankful my daughter has such good friends,” Butan says, nervously clasping his hands in front of him as he looks to Freeza, “A-And of course you as well, my lord.”

“I’m curious though,” Bulma suddenly says, slumping back in her chair, arms crossed, “What’s the story behind Tori and these powers of hers? You don’t seem entirely shocked, so you must have known about them already.”

Butan’s face drops. He thinks to himself for a moment, trying to find the words as he rubs the back of his neck.

“She’s always had them,” he says, walking over to the side of Tori’s bed opposite to Bulma, “But she didn’t show any signs of it until she was around six years old. Since then it’s just been a downward spiral…”

“So has she had an incident like this before?” Bulma asks, hoping ‘no’ will be the answer.

“Yes,” Butan nods, keeping his eyes on Bulma as he takes a seat at his daughter’s side. “She had a similar episode at her school about ten years ago,” he continues, looking down at his daughter sullenly, “But today was far worse - she’s never exhibited that amount of power before.”

“And it was because she didn’t have these?” Bulma asks, holding up Tori’s glasses.

Butan nods while looking at the cracked spectacles. “They’re the only thing that’s helped keep it under control all these years.”

“I see,” Freeza suddenly chimes in from his corner, red irises darting towards Butan.

Arms folded behind his back, he steps over to them, stopping just at the foot of Tori’s bed. Holding his hand out to Bulma, he glances at her expectantly. After a moment of realization, she reluctantly hands him Tori’s glasses.

“So these were the viel her powers were hiding behind all this time?” he ponders aloud, narrowing his eyes as he looks over the glasses with contempt, “I should have known…”

“So they act as a sort of inhibitor?” Bulma asks while looking back at the mayor.

He nods, glancing up at her sheepishly, “We found that her abilities were primarily based on sight, so hindering her vision was the only method that helped.”

“So, if I understand correctly-” Freeza derides, his tone quickly becoming dark as he returns his red stare to the mayor, “You’ve done nothing to try and refine this power of hers?”

Butan tenses, nervously breaking his gaze from the tyrant. “I…” he sighs, ducking his head down, taking Tori’s hand in his, “...No. I wasn’t sure how to.”

Freeza scoffs, putting one hand on his hip as he looks over the mayor disdainfully, “From what I’ve seen, there are multiple humans on your planet with abnormal abilities - at least by your species’ standards. There were certainly other resources you could have sought out rather than simply pushing her abilities to the side, ignoring them, and hoping for the best.”

Bulma gives the tyrant a cold look before looking back at the mayor. “Sorry, I don’t mean to agree with Freeza, but I don’t know if this was the best way.”

The mayor keeps his head down, clearly feeling vulnerable. “I know. I wish I could have done more, but her mother-” he stops himself, taking a moment before raising his head to look back at them, “I’m sorry...I just didn’t know what else to do.”

Bulma and Android 18 both look over the mayor, feeling his words are genuine. Meanwhile, Freeza merely turns his head away, not having any patience for the man’s excuses.

“Power such as this simply can’t be ignored,” he explains, “It will continue to grow to an unmanageable level, inadvertently destroying everything around it.” He glances down at Tori, who still hasn’t so much as moved save for her breathing. “And, in some cases, its host.”

Butan lowers his gaze back to his daughter, looking at her more sorrowfully. With a sigh, he wraps both of his hands around the one he’d been holding, cupping it gently.

Just then, there’s a tapping sound on the room’s window. They all turn to see a familiar face hovering just outside.

“Goku?” Bulma exclaims in surprise, quickly getting up to open the window.

Freeza groans, rolling his eyes at Saiyan’s arrival, “Fantastic…”

“Thanks, Bulma,” Goku says with a grateful smile, waving at the others as he steps inside, “Hey, guys!”

“And what are you doing here?” Freeza seethes, crossing his arms tensely over his chest.

“Come on, Freeza, don’t be like that,” Goku sulks, “I heard your girlfriend was hurt and wanted to make sure she was okay.”

Freeza scoffs, giving the Saiyan a knowing smirk, “Oh, please, there’s no need for such an innocent front - we both know you’re here to get a closer look at her power.”

Goku blushes, giving them all a sheepish smile as he rubs the back of his neck. “Hey, that’s not true! I’m really worried about her, honest - I even brought her these!” he explains, holding up a bundle of flowers in his hand.

Freeza frowns, narrowing his eyes at the colorful bouquet, “Honestly, I wouldn’t have thought you were capable of such couth gestures.”

“Thanks! I found them on the way here,” the Saiyan gleams, pointing back at the window with his thumb.

“Why did you use the window anyway?” Bulma asks, giving him a blank look, “ You know there’s a regular entrance, right?”

Goku gives her another meek smile from over his shoulder, “The front desk people wouldn’t let me in, so I decided to come through here instead.”

Bulma’s expression flattens, not at all surprised - but still vexed - by the Saiyan’s rash, barbaric nature. He walks up to Tori’s hospital bed, setting the flowers down on a nearby end table.

“How’s she doin’ so far?” the Saiyan asks as he looks her over curiously.

“She hasn’t moved, but she’s been stable,” Bulma responds as she crosses her arms over her chest, eyes anxiously set on Tori.

“I guess that’s fair,” Goku rubs at his chin thoughtfully as he continues to scan her over, “So what happened with that power spike of hers anyway?”

“Supposedly she had some sort of...psychic episode,” Freeza says, waving his hand in a rolling motion as he tries to word it properly.

“I see,” Goku nods, taking a moment before finally looking at Freeza, giving the tyrant a meek smile, “Wh-What does that mean exactly?”

Freeza sighs, eyes closing as his shoulders slump in defeat, “It means she can move things with her mind but wasn’t able to control it.”

“Ohh, gotcha,” Goku laughs with an innocent smile, making Freeza shake his head in disapproval.

Suddenly, Tori twitches, groaning as she turns her head slightly. Everyone in the room straightens up, waiting on pins and needles as they watch her with anticipation.

“Hey, she’s waking up! Maybe it’s because I got here,” Goku jokes while grinning over at Freeza.

“Don’t go spouting absurdities the moment you get here, you driveling oaf!” Freeza snaps, tail flicking angrily behind him.

“Mph,” Tori whimpers quietly, eyes fluttering open. She winces as the fluorescent lighting stings at her eyes. She opens them more carefully, spotting Freeza at the foot of her bed as they adjust. Blinking, she squints at him unsurely. “Freeza…?” she mutters before glancing over a bit further, “And...Goku?”

“Tori! Oh, thank goodness you’re alright!” her father gasps, squeezing her hand more tightly in his.

“We were really worried,” Bulma adds as she leans over, giving Tori a relieved smile.

“Do you recall what happened?” Freeza asks, arms crossed as he looks at her.

She thinks to herself, not taking long to remember what had transpired before she blacked out. Raising her head, she gives them all an apologetic look. “I-I’m sorry...I tried to control it, but-”

A sudden pain in her head makes her wince, cutting off the rest of her apology. Wasting no time, Freeza makes his way to the side of her bed, sitting down on its edge as he unfolds her glasses and holds them out to her.

“Perhaps it’s best you put these on before history repeats itself,” he says.

She nods, taking the glasses and sliding them onto her face, returning her back to her usual, blurry world. Freeza remains seated on the bed, looking at her intently.

“Now that you remember what happened and know where you are - how are you feeling?” he asks, a relatively calm undertone to his voice.

She purses her lips, gulping before responding in a quiet, stuttering voice, “I-I feel fine now…”

He narrows his eyes a bit before crossing his arms over his chest. “There’s nothing to gain with you being bashful - it’s best you be honest with any symptoms you may have.”

She glances to the side, lowering her head a bit in defeat. “I...feel tired. And sore - kind of like I got hit by a truck,” she admits lowly, “...and hungry.”

“Oh!” Goku perks up in realization before patting at his sash, “That reminds me - I brought you something!”

They all watch curiously as he pulls out a small pouch, loosening the string tie keeping it closed and tipping it upside-down until a small, green bean falls into his palm.

“A...lima bean?” Tori asks unsurely, raising a brow.

Goku grins excitedly as he holds it out to her, “It’s called a senzu bean. It’ll heal all your injuries and restore your stamina.”

“That sounds...” Tori trails off, unconvinced but not wanting to scorn Goku’s generosity.

“I know it sounds a little far-fetched, but I promise it works,” he says reassuringly as he drops the bean in her hand, stuffing the small pouch back under his sash, “They’ve even saved my life on a few occasions.”

“Well…” Tori mutters as she looks over it.

Hesitantly, she pops the bean in her mouth. It has a starchy taste and texture as she chews, but proves easy enough to swallow.

As soon as she gulps it down, a strange sensation stems throughout her entire body - as if she’d just drank the world’s fastest acting energy drink, which was also laced with a high-power pain-killer. She shudders a bit at the bizarre feeling, clenching at the comforter as she works through the sensation.

“Yeah, they take some time to get used to,” Goku gives her a sympathetic smile while patting her gently on the shoulder, “But this way you don’t have to wait to get all healed up.”

She nods, peeking one of her previously-squinted eyes open at him, “I certainly feel better than before.” As she finally works through the rest of it, she gives him a small smile. “Thank you, Goku...”

“Don’t mention it,” he responds with a bright smile, putting his hands on his hips as he stands up straight. “Well, I wish I could visit more, but I should really get back home to Chi Chi and Goten,” he says, looking back at the others, “I’ll see you guys later. Keep me updated, alright?” He salutes to Bulma as he walks back to the window.

With a quick jump, he hops out the window and flies off into the dark night sky. Once he’s left, Android 18 stands up from her seat, pulling her purse strap over her shoulder.

“I’m glad you’re finally awake and feeling better,” she says while stepping over to Tori’s bed, “But I should probably be heading home, too.”

Bulma looks to Tori, giving her a small smile, “Do you need anything else from us before we go?”

Tori gives them both a grateful smile, “No, I should be fine from here. I appreciate you both staying, though.”

“Of course,” Bulma nods, “But let us know how you’re doing by tomorrow. I want a full status report - an honest status report. Got it?”

Tori huffs, giving her friend a meek smile, “Alright.”

With their last goodbyes, 18 and Bulma depart from the hospital, leaving only Butan and Freeza at Tori’s side. Despite her miraculous recovery, the staff still decide to keep her overnight for safe measure.

“You can go back to the hotel, father,” Tori insists with a tired smile once the nurses leave, “I’ll be fine here by myself.”

“Tori, I couldn’t possibly!” he says, giving her a guilty look.

Freeza glances at him, now standing off to the side with his arms crossed behind his back, “I’ve no need for rest and would be perfectly capable of watching over her myself.”

Butan tenses, giving his daughter an anxious look. She sends him a small but reassuring smile in return.

“I’ll be alright, father - really,” she says gently, “You need to get some rest as well.”

Her father sighs, looking over her for a moment before making his way to the side of her bed.

“If you’re sure,” he says, still feeling a tad uncertain. Leaning down, he places a small kiss on the top of her head, “I’ll be here early tomorrow morning to check on you, though.”

She smiles, giving him a nod before resting back into her bed. Standing up straight, he looks back at Freeza, giving the tyrant a small bow. “Thank you for looking after my daughter so adamantly, Lord Freeza.”

Freeza only nods, watching as Butan makes his way for the door. With one last turn, he looks back at his daughter.

“Goodnight then, Tori. Get plenty of rest now,” he says, giving her a small smile, “I love you.”

She smiles back at him sweetly. “I love you, too, father.”

With that, he gently closes the door behind him, his footsteps fading as he makes his way down the hall. Freeza moves his eyes to Tori shortly after, stepping over to her bedside as he looks down over her.

“You’re quite the trove for surprises, aren’t you?” he asks, an obvious rhetorical tone to his voice.

She smiles up at him tiredly, still slumped back into her bed. “Sorry if I disappointed you...”

He huffs, crossing his arms over his chest as he sits down on the edge of her bed, “Hardly - this honestly isn’t a turn I was expecting.” He watches as she covers her mouth just before letting out a sizeable yawn. “Did that senzu bean not fully restore your stamina?” he asks, raising a brow at her.

“I’m not sure it works for emotional fatigue,” she glances away from him, speaking almost without thinking.

He eyes her strangely, tail swaying as it hangs over the side of the bed. “Well, I suppose you should get some more rest then,” he says, despite having wanted to speak to her more.

“Right...” she agrees, eyes closing as she breathes out tiredly.

She quickly falls back asleep, leaving Freeza to look over her curiously.

“What a vexing girl,” he muses quietly, shaking his head in a tisk. Standing up from the bed, he glances down at her with one more troubled look, “It seems I’ll have my work cut out for me after all...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, all - I'm alive! =D
> 
> Sorry for missing two whole post dates. Some of you may have seen my response to the ask I got on tumblr, but I wasn't feeling well the week before last and then last week I was out for my birthday. 
> 
> I also explained how I won't be doing the art panels for the chapters anymore; I'm not happy about doing this, but it slows down production and, honestly, the only times I haven't posted were mainly due to the panels not being drawn (but the chapter itself was basically finished).
> 
> Hopefully you guys still enjoy the fic despite these changes, and thank you for your patience! =]


	7. Terms and Conditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori and Freeza finally have some time to sit down and talk about their future and each other. Also, Beerus expresses some interest in Tori's abilities and Whis notices some peculiar reactions from Freeza.

“You’re pacing again,” Masu comments dryly as she looks over herself in a mirror.

Butan pauses to give his wife a guilty look. “I’m sorry, dear,” he apologizes, “I’m still just worried about Tori - what with her being alone with Freeza and all.”

“Please, darling, she’ll just be fine. If anything, we should consider ourselves lucky Freeza’s even inclined to speak to her after her little outburst at the garden.”

Yaki - who’s sitting nearby on a chaise longue - can feel her mother’s chilling gaze, but she does her best to ignore this and continues to scroll through her phone.

“This dinner date is the perfect opportunity for Tori to mend what she’s broken,” Masu continues, “She needs only to win his favor by whatever means necessary…”

Butan purses his lips, bothered by his wife’s dismissive words. “But Masu…”

“Oh, please, dear - just because Tori’s taken Yaki’s place doesn’t mean our plan has changed,” Masu adds a bit impatiently, narrowing her eyes at her husband, “You needn’t be so obvious with your favoritism…”

“I-It’s not favoritism..!” he quickly rebuts.

“Of course not,” Masu responds flatly, not sounding convinced, “But he’s already refused our first daughter, so what choice do we have? Remember, this is for the good of mankind.”

Yaki watches from the corner of her eye as her parents continue to debate. She grazes the rough texture of her casted arm with the fingers of her free hand, their voices begin to sound more distant, pushed out of her mind by her troubled thoughts.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Tori and Freeza stand in the lobby of a restaurant just a few blocks down from the hotel. Freeza looks over the velvety, dimly lit atmosphere, finding it hard to dislike the overall feel of the place - though he would never admit it.

“Your people certainly revolve much of their culture around dining,” Freeza comments flatly.

Tori turns her head, having just brushed out the pleats of her skirt, and gives him a small smile. “I suppose we do, don’t we?”

Maintaining his stoic posture, he glances to look over her manicured condition. “I see your glasses have been repaired.”

“Oh, yes, Bulma was able to fix them for me,” she responds with a small smile while adjusting the frames.

The two stand in silence for a moment, not knowing what to say to the other - how to start casual conversation with one another. He looks over her again, thinking hard to himself.

“Your hair looks different,” he finally says.

Her eyes light up in surprise and she takes a small lock of it in her hand, brushing her fingers through the strands while giving him a shy smile. “Y-Yes, my mother had me get it trimmed before we came here.”

“It looks much more kempt,” he says with a nod of approval, “And I’ve not seen it styled in this way before.”

She drops her eyes to the ground in embarrassment, hands gripping at the small clutch she’d brought with her. “I-I guess it has been a while since I’ve worn it down…”

Noting her shyness, he sends her a coy smirk. “I like it better this way.”

She feels her cheeks burn red just before the hostess comes to escort them to their table. Once they arrive, like before, Freeza pulls Tori’s chair out for her. With lips pursed, she accepts the gesture, unable to ignore the uncharacteristic care taken as the tyrant pushes her closer in to the table.

Thankful to finally have his fiancée to himself again, Freeza glances up to watch her mull over the menu, wine in hand. “I’m not one for making such statements...” he starts to say, grasping her attention. Once he has her eyes, he sends her a playful smirk, “But I will admit that I’m glad to have you back to myself once more.”

Unsure of how to respond, she lifts the menu more to cover her face. “O-Oh?”

Leaning forward, he props his elbow on the table, jaw rested in his hand. “We have much to discuss, you know,” he muses, tail flicking playfully just below the table, “Your father informed me of some of the details, but I’m curious to know your perspective concerning these powers of yours.”

“Um, well…” she mutters, keeping her eyes on the menu in an attempt to keep casual, “Truthfully, there really isn’t much to tell; I’ve always had them but no one else in my family has, so we weren’t sure how to control them.”

“Is that so?” he asks with a raised brow, sounding unconvinced, “Absolutely no ancestry whatsoever?”

She lowers her menu just enough for him to see the sheepish smile now on her face. “S-Sorry, but it’s the truth.”

“Hmmm,” he hums, features relaxing as his eyes close, a thoughtful look on his face, “Very well, I suppose we’ll just have to manage with that then.”

“Wh-What about you? Were you born with all of your abilities as well?” she asks, genuinely curious about his own lineage.

A pompous smirk spreads across his face and his red eyes glint. “Of course; prowess such as mine can’t simply be taught,” he muses, “Although I did take up training recently as a means to improve my power - enough to even gain a new form.”

“A-A new form?” she presses, eager to have him continue.

Happy to have such a curious, uninformed audience, Freeza merely leans back in his chair, head turned to the side haughtily. “I’m afraid it’s a bit too long a story for the moment,” he says before sending her a cheeky grin, “Perhaps we’ll find time for me to show it to you during your training.”

She pauses just before taking a drink of water, eyeing him strangely. “My…training?”

“Ah, yes, that’s right - your father was so busy coddling you these past few days, I haven’t even had the chance to inform you,” he responds, shaking his head disapprovingly.

His red eyes focus on her again, his demeanor becoming more serious, making her gulp.

“Since your family has taken no initiative in teaching you how to control these abilities of yours, I’ll be taking on the responsibility myself,” he says, giving her a pompous smirk, “You should be honored at having the opportunity to train with someone like myself.”

She smiles meekly, feeling her hands sweat as she balls up the fabric from her skirt in a nervous clench, “I-I don’t believe that’s entirely necessary; I’ve gotten by just fine thus far.”

He gives her a flat look, not at all in agreeance. “Are you sure?” he asks dryly, “Sure that you’re content with getting by with less-than-sufficient vision as well as a constant dread that, without a pair of glass lenses, you might obliterate an entire city?”

“I-I…” she ducks her head, knowing well that he’s right.

“As my bride, it’s best you’re well-versed in combat regardless,” he continues, “So, if you think about it, training was an inevitability for you.”

“C-Combat?” she repeats in a panic, feeling herself shake, “B-But I can’t fight..!”

“Not yet, no,” he agrees casually, “But, with practice and my tutelage, you’ll become a formidable warrior.”

“I’m still not sure…” she mutters quietly.

He looks over her as she hangs her head in an anxious slump. With a sigh, he continues, “I understand your uncertainty, but trust that I will not lead you astray and, by the end of things, you’ll be in complete control of your powers.”

Her head perks up a little at the thought of being free of her ever-looming dread - that there may be a time when she can see clearly and no longer need to hide behind a pair of coke-bottle lenses.

Lifting her head, she looks at him a bit hopefully, “...do you really think that’s possible?”

The vulnerability in her words makes him falter for a moment, leaving his throat suddenly dry. He clears it, fist held in front of his mouth as he tries to keep the effort subtle.

“Of course,” he responds casually, breaking his eye contact with her, “As I said, you’ll be learning from myself, which is a guarantee for success.”

She thinks for a moment, biting on her thumb as she does. “Well…” she finally says, “I-If you really think there’s really a chance it might work…” With a nod, she gives him a small smile, “I’ll give it my all then.”

His heart races for a moment and he quickly goes for a sip of his wine, breaking his eyes from her once more. “Yes, well...don’t expect me to go too easy on you,” he says with a dry aloofness, “Consider this outing one last leniency before I put you through an arduous regimine.”

“N-Not too arduous, I hope,” she admits with an unsure smile.

He glances at her, his expression flat. “Are you afraid I might be too hard on you?”

“Well, no,” she rubs the back of her neck, avoiding eye contact with him herself now.

“It will be, but not beyond your means,” he retorts, crossing his arms over his chest, “I know you’re wary of me still, but I’ve no reason to harm you.”

“I-I know that,” she replies, sounding more like she said it to appease rather than reassure him.

He eyes her analytically, still thinking of ways he might be able to gain her trust. “I believe it may be necessary we discuss this rift that’s found its way between us if we’re to further this arrangement,” he says a bit rigidly, “Wouldn’t you agree?”

After a moment, she nods. “I do,” she responds with a shy glance, “Actually, it’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.”

“Oh?” he muses curiously, “Why don’t you lead with your own thoughts then?”

“O-Okay, um...” she ponders, attempting to collect her thoughts.

After a moment of thinking, she reaches up to grasp the stems of her glasses, sliding them off her face.

Freeza watches her in surprise. “What are you doing that for?”

She smiles at him just before folding her glasses and setting them on the table. “I wanted to properly look you in the eye while we spoke, is all,” she says sheepishly, cheeks flushing a light pink.

“If you deem it necessary,” he responds, trying not to sound at all pleased, “Just don’t over-exert yourself…”

“I won’t,” she huffs. “But what I’d been thinking is that maybe it would help us to get along better if we knew each other's boundaries?” she postulates while fiddling with her bracelet, “Since the last time we argued was because I spoke about something you didn’t want me to speak about, but without me knowing...”

“I see,” he nods, index finger held to his chin thoughtfully, “I suppose that would help a great deal given we still hardly know a thing about the other.” He raises his head, red irises drawing to her with a great amount of focus. “Not to mention I’m curious about what these ‘boundaries’ would be on your side of things.”

“Well, um,” she starts hesitantly, eyes veering off to the side, “I would prefer it if you didn’t...touch me - w-without my permission, that is.”

“You mean don’t throw you into any trees?” he clarifies dryly.

“I suppose that also counts,” she huffs, giving him a smile.

“Very well,” he sighs, “I vow not to make any sort of contact with you without your allowance.” He leans back in his chair, keeping his tone very business-like. “Anything else?”

She rubs the back of her neck, thinking hard about what she thought was important for Freeza to know. In reality she was fairly low-maintenance and used to taking care of herself.

She perks up in realization, looking at him intently as she continues, “I’m not going to sacrifice who I am as a person for this marriage.”

He gives her a look, surprised at her sudden resolve. “What do you mean by that?” he asks with a raised brow.

“I-I mean I’m not going to do anything evil, or bad, o-or just something I wouldn’t normally do, alliance or not,” she explains in a stutter.

He chuckles, giving her an amused smirk, “I’m afraid that’s going to be rather difficult - nigh impossible - once you’ve joined my Freeza Force.”

“I-I mean it though,” she counters as firmly as she can manage, fists clenched in her lap, “If my council is really that important to you, then it won’t matter if I want to do those things or not. You even said you didn’t want someone who would just agree with everything you said.”

He stares at her for a moment, taking the time to mull over what she’s said, red eyes scanning over her in a calculated manner, leaving her to sit stiffly in her seat. His mind races as he evaluates his current position, calibrating the best possible move he can make.

“Very well,” he breathes with a dramatic, defeated sigh.

Her face lights up. “R-Really?”

“Really,” he responds with a serious tone, “You seem rather adamant, so I suppose there’s no point in trying to sway you.”

“Do you mean it?” she presses, eyes glittering with hope.

He sighs tiredly, holding his hand to his chest as he speaks. “You have my word.”

She looks at him unsurely, having reminded herself who she’s currently speaking to. Suddenly, she holds out her hand to him, hovering it just above the table.

“Can we shake on it?” she asks.

He looks between her and her waiting hand, arms still crossed tautly over his chest. “Does this mean you you still don’t trust me?”

“Just think of it as us holding each other accountable for everything we just discussed,” she responds, eyes still focused on his.

He looks her over for another moment before finally returning her gesture, his grip on her hand firm, but not enough to be uncomfortable.

“Very well then,” he says tiredly.

She smiles, the subject being concluded just in time for the waiter to come for their orders. Freeza watches as Tori converses with them - her entire aura having changed and taken on a more cheerful demeanor. He wonders to himself if she’s always this easy to influence.

With their orders taken, Tori looks back to Freeza with a smile. “So you mentioned your abilities were natural to you,” she says, “It makes me wonder - what is your family like?”

“Ah,” he responds halfheartedly, glancing off to the side, “There’s my father, who preceded me in leading the Freeza Force - then known as the Cold Force - and my brother, who I never much associated with.”

She gives him a sympathetic smile. “You don’t sound too fond of them.”

“Nor am I overly disdainful of them either,” he admits, his flat gaze focusing on her, “But they’ve both been dead for so long that it hardly feels as though they were ever there to begin with.”

“Oh,” she responds with a mixture of shock and disbelief, “I-I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be,” he quickly replies, waving his hand in a dismissive motion, “They both ventured similar paths, but lacked the sort of connections and reputation to be brought back as I did…”

He gives a dark snicker with those last few words, making a chill run down her spine. She clears her throat, curious to find out more.

“S-So, does that mean you’ve been…?” she begins to ask, waving her hand as she tries to think of how to word it.

“Killed?” he says with a haughty smirk, “Yes - twice, actually - and near death on even more occasions.”

She gives him a nervous smile, “Y-You don’t seem all that bothered by that...”

“Don’t be mistaken, it was a miserable experience; the pain, the humiliation, the hellish torture…” his teeth grit as he trails off, expression relaxing as he looks back to her, “But I’ve been given another chance and ample opportunity to learn from the past, so there’s no purpose in ruminating over the deaths themselves.”

“I suppose that’s a good way of looking at it,” she admits somewhat reluctantly, still caught up in the macabre details.

“And what of your relatives?” he asks while swirling the wine in his glass, “As far as the ones I’ve met, your relationship with them seems rather...strenuous.”

She bites her lip as she glances to the side. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t…” she admits quietly, “But it’s always been that way; every family needs a black sheep.”

“Hmm,” he hums thoughtfully as he looks her over, “If it’s any consolation, I’d say you’re the better of your family by a wide margin.”

“That’s nice of you to say,” she says with a shy smile, “But I don’t know if it’s true.”

“Believe what you will,” he responds with a shrug, “But I’m curious to know more about my dearest fiancée.”

The coy smirk that follows his words leaves her cheeks burning red.

“Oh,” she mutters, ducking her head in an attempt to hide her face, “Well, besides the telekinetic powers, I’m afraid I’m not very interesting.”

He huffs before taking a sip of his wine. “Ever the modest, aren’t we?”

“It’s true,” she says with a sweet smile, “I mostly just read.”

“And what sort of things do you read?” he presses coolly.

“Um,” she rubs the back of her neck as she thinks, not used to talking about herself, “Fiction, mostly. I especially like mysteries, science fiction, and romances-” she catches herself, giving him a quick, dismissive wave of her hand as well as an embarrassed smile. “Th-That is, when there’s nothing else on the shelf that interests me!”

He smirks at her embarrassed reaction, casually sipping at his wine. “Yes, of course.”

“But what about you?” she smiles, eager to leave the subject, “What do you enjoy doing when you’re not…working?”

“Hmmm,” he hums thoughtfully with his index finger held to his chin, “Now that you bring it up, I suppose I don’t do much besides work.”

“Well, that doesn’t sound like much fun,” she huffs, giving him a playful smile.

He smirks, propping his elbow onto the table and resting his jaw in his hand as he gives her a mischievous look. “Or perhaps I just enjoy my job too much for it to feel like work?”

“Ah,” Tori mutters, eyes darting to the side as she tries to sound interested rather than disturbed, “I-I suppose..?”

“I hope you come to enjoy it as well, despite the extremeness in lifestyle change,” he muses genuinely.

“Yes, well...I am a bit afraid to be living in outer space,” she confesses with a nervous smile.

“You’ve nothing to be afraid of,” Freeza says with a smirk, “Not while you’re at my side, that is.”

She gives him a surprised look. “I-Is that so?”

“Of course,” the tyrant raises his hands in a matter-of-fact gesture while shaking his head, “It’s my responsibility as your husband-to-be. Not to mention that only a fool would dare threaten you once our marriage is official, but since I’ve seen my fair share of foolishness....”

“Well, that does make me feel a bit better,” she admits.

“I would hope so,” Freeza responds with a huff while reaching for his wine, “I’m not sure how much more protection would be needed to garner your peace of mind.”

Tori smiles to herself as she returns to her meal, with Freeza taking another sip of his wine, dense as to the positive effect their conversation has had on her.

 

* * *

 

With their dinner done, Tori and Freeza make their way out of the restaurant, side by side.

“That was delicious - the best dinner I’ve had in awhile,” Tori admits while giving her fiancé a smile, “What did you think?”

He thinks for a moment, glancing out the corner of his eyes while searching for an answer. “It was somewhat above average, I suppose,” he finally answers with a shrug.

She huffs, sending him an incredulous smirk. “It seems not many things impress you.”

“You have - on multiple occasions,” he quickly replies while giving her a smirk back.

She ducks her head, feeling her cheeks flush pink. Before she can feel too embarrassed, she’s called by a familiar voice.

“Tori, hey!”

She looks up to see Bulma’s cheerful face, her hand waving frantically to try and catch Tori’s attention. Next to her stands her husband Vegeta - who’s looking quite stiff and disgruntled - plus the two mysterious godly beings Tori had met before: Weis and...Byron?

Tori’s followed by an unwilling, unenthusiastic Freeza as she approaches them. She smiles, giving them all a friendly bow.

“I-It’s nice to see all of you again.”

“Goodness, so polite,” Whis gleams, seemingly taken by the little earthling, “I believe she’ll be a fine juxtaposition for you, Freeza.”

The corner of Freeza’s mouth twitches as he forces a smile. “I’m glad you think so…”

“That aside, I’m curious about this power level of yours,” Beerus finally speaks up, arms folded behind his back.

He approaches them in a leisurely manner, seemingly wanting to get a closer look. Freeza watches somewhat nervously as his fiancée is inspected, not wanting the God of Destruction to be set off - knowing well himself that such a thing doesn’t take much.

“Hmm,” the god hums curiously, “I’ll admit I never would have guessed, but you humans seem to be full of surprises.”

Freeza lets out a small sigh of relief, just in time for Whis to carry on the subject.

“Such high words of praise, Lord Beerus,” Whis muses with a smile, “I’m surprised.”

Beerus grunts as he straightens his posture, smirking to himself as he responds, “Don’t let it get you too excited; we’ll see if she goes anywhere with it.”

Tori thinks for a moment, staring at the cat-god with a certain intentness. “Um, Lord Beerus..?”

The god peeks open one of his previously shut eyes down at her in surprise. She catches Whis’ attention as well, leaving Freeza in a tense state.

“I-I may not be able to control my powers just yet, but I’ll be doing my best to master them,” she says as firmly as she can manage while staring in the face of a god, “A-And Freeza’s going to train me, so…”

Everyone recoils in surprise, including Freeza, who couldn’t be standing more tensely.

“Is that so?” Beerus asks while raising a brow and sending Freeza a curious look.

Freeza sighs under his breath, eyes closing as he replies defeatedly, “I did say that, yes.”

“Hang on a second..!” Bulma steps back to look at them all in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you’re all okay with this?”

Whis sends Bulma a casual smile. “Are you worried, Bulma?”

Bulma puts her hands on her hips in a huff while giving the angel an incredulous look. “Of course I’m worried; this is Freeza we’re talking about. We can’t just let him use Tori as his own personal training dummy!”

“I never said I would be harsh with her,” Freeza points out flatly, arms folded behind his back as he gives Bulma a blank look.

“Yeah, because we can’t assume otherwise,” Bulma scoffs as she crosses her arms over her chest. She looks to Vegeta, giving her husband an almost pleading look. “Come on, Vegeta, you can’t be okay with this, too, can you?”

“I’m not,” the Saiyan quickly replies, his eyes glued on the vicious tyrant he’d spent so many years suffering under.

“My, my,” Whis sighs, shaking his head in a tisk before looking at Tori, “And what about yourself? Are you alright with training under Freeza?”

Freeze maintains his stoic stance, eyes glued to his fiancée as he awaits her answer along with the others. While his expression remains steeled, his heart races with anticipation.

“I-I am okay with it,” she finally says, looking up at the rest of them.

“You are?” Bulma presses, a forced smile pasted on her face, “And you’re not just saying that?”

“Yes, I mean it,” Tori continues, giving them all a nod, “I’m confident Freeza can help me and that I’m not in any danger.”

She takes the time to look back at the tyrant himself, giving him a small smile. He feels his heart thump in his chest, and he quickly looks away from her, not wanting to lose his composure. Whis takes note of his reaction, though, and smiles to himself in amusement.

“Well, if she’s alright with it, then I see no point in debating,” the angel says cheerfully, “But do let us know if he gives you any trouble and we’ll be close behind, hm?”

“I will,” Tori replies with a meek smile.

“Oh, it looks like they’re finally ready for us,” Whis perks up as they’re called for a table. With a smile and a wave, he bids both Tori and Freeza farewell. “Continue to play nice, you two!”

Freeza’s lower eyelid twitches as he refrains from rolling his eyes. Bulma quickly swings in to give Tori a gentle pat on the shoulder.

“Hang in there, okay?” she says sweetly while giving Tori a worried smile, “We’re still here, right behind you.”

“I know,” Tori smiles back while nodding her head, “Thank you.”

The party of four head inside the restaurant, leaving the couple alone together once more. They turn to leave themselves, walking in silence as they make their way down the sidewalk.

“Did you mean what you said?” Freeza suddenly speaks up after a few minutes of silence.

“Huh?” Tori perks up, looking at him curiously.

He picks his eyes up off the ground to look back at her, a certain intentness to his stare. “Did you mean what you said? In front of the others.”

“Of course I did.”

He narrows his eyes at her, not sure if she’s telling the truth or not. “You didn’t just say it because I was there as well?”

She huffs, shaking her head as she smiles to herself, amused at the almost childish persistence in his words. “No, I really meant it, I swear.”

“Hmm,” he hums, turning his head to face forward again, “Alright…”

She watches him for a moment, still smiling to herself. Looking down, she notices both his arms still crossed behind his back. Biting her lip, she glances back up at him.

“May I hold your hand?”

He breaks from his previous train of thought, looking at her strangely from the corner of his eye. “Why?”

She smirks at him almost playfully while offering her nearest hand to him, “Because it’s something couples do?”

“And that’s the only reason?” he asks cynically, taking his eyes from her.

She huffs, “ **And** because I’d like to. But if you don’t…”

He quickly recoils as she begins to retract her hand, glaring at her impatiently. “I never said that!”

She smiles at him knowingly, making him turn his head in an impatient huff. Still, he takes his hand from behind his back and offers it to her, keeping his gaze averted like a child receiving a shot.

Gently, she slides her palm under his, folding her fingers around its edges. He stiffens at her touch but does the same, albeit it more hesitantly. It’s a strange feeling, but brings a warmness to his heart that he doesn’t altogether dislike.

They continue down the vacant sidewalk, enjoying the cool, peaceful evening hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again for the long hiatus. T-T
> 
> I've not done something like this before and am trying to figure out how to balance it along with the rest of my (already unorganized) life.
> 
> Thank you, though, for all of your awesome, kind comments and I hope you continue to enjoy the series! ^^


	8. Triple Threat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori finally starts her first day of training under Freeza. Unfortunately for them, though, some unexpected "guests" invite themselves to the session.

“What do you even wear to this kind of training?” Tori mutters to herself as she ties the shoelaces of her sneakers.

Standing up, she looks at herself in the mirror. Today was her first day of training with Freeza and all she’d had on hand were some workout clothes she’d packed - but those were intended for a quick trip to the hotel gym or possibly a jog around town if she’d found the time.

With a sigh, she runs her fingers through her hair, pulling it up to be tied into a ponytail. Deciding there isn’t much else to be done about it, she fastens the hair tie into place, pulling at the spout of hair to tighten it.

Exiting the bathroom, she makes her way out of the suite and to the stairwell in the hall. With special access from the hotel staff in the form of a keycard, she accesses the flight leading up to the building’s roof where Freeza’s ship is parked.

Just as she turns the doorknob and cracks the door open, she hears Freeza talking with one of his subordinates. The sternness in his voice makes her pause and take a more furtive stance behind the door, her ear leaned in as closely as possible so she can hear.

“And you’re sure it’s not one of ours?” Freeza asks dryly, not sounding at all pleased.

“Th-That’s right, my lord,” the grunt replies shakily, “It didn’t match any of the ships in our planetary database either.”

“I see,” the tyrant replies, an irritated edge to his voice.

Tori continues to listen closely, her ears straining to hear what her fiancé will say next.

“Take some of the scouter ships with you and do a thorough investigation. I don’t care if you have to travel two galaxies over - I want results and answers. Is that clear?” he hisses icily, making Tori’s skin prick up coldly.

The grunt nods frantically before giving a salute. “Y-Yes, Lord Freeza! I’ll gather the required soldiers right away!”

Freeza watches as his subordinate scurries away fearfully, leaving him the freedom to finally look in Tori’s direction.

“Perhaps we should first work on masking your power level so you can eavesdrop more effectively,” he calls just loud enough so she can hear.

She sighs through her nose, feeling a tightness in her chest as she steps out through the door. Hands clasped in front of her, she gives a small, apologetic bow.

“I’m sorry…”

He sighs, turning his head from her in a dramatic manner. “Really, what am I going to do about this secretive behavior of yours?”

“I was just curious what you were discussing. It sounded important and I was afraid you wouldn’t tell me yourself...” she admits while walking up to him in a guilty trudge.

He glances at her as she stops in front of him. “If it were of any importance, I’d be more than willing to discuss it with you.”

“Well... **is** it important?” she asks while twiddling her fingers eagerly.

“No,” he says coolly before turning away and stepping towards the lowered ramp of his ship, “It should be resolved rather quickly, so there’s no use in you worrying over it.”

She exhales tiredly, not at all surprised by his reaction. Still, she follows after him, looking up at his ship with a sense of awe, overwhelmed by its sheer size. Taking notice of this, he smirks back at her, happy to see her so amazed.

“Impressive, is it not? As the lead of the fleet, it should be nothing less,” he muses boastfully.

“It is a lot to take in,” she admits while still gaping upwards.

“I’ll have to give you the full tour once we have time. It’s only fair you see your new living quarters ahead of time, wouldn’t you say?” he continues to bluster while going up the ramp, arms folded behind his back and tail waving in a circular loop.

“R-Right, of course,” she says absentmindedly, just now being struck with the realization that this hulking mass of metal would soon be her new home.

As she steps inside, her view is swallowed by an endless span of metal walls and glowing buttons and modules. Alien minions of an endless count of species scurry to-and-fro between rooms and stations, quickening their pace once Freeza begins to approach. She keeps close to his trail, nearly tripping over his tail as she follows behind him.

They eventually enter the main control room, the two of them being greeted in a saluted fashion as they enter. Tori, not knowing how else to respond, only nods, still working to stay close behind her fiancé.

“Are we ready to depart?” Freeza asks without specification, seemingly expectant his underlings will know who he’s speaking to.

“Yes, Lord Freeza!” one of the workers at the main control panel responds with a salute, “We have the coordinates set and await your command.”

“Very good,” the tyrant responds with a satisfied lilt to his voice. He turns his head to look at Tori, who’s busy looking up and around at all the commotion occurring around her. “Are you ready?” he asks.

She snaps from her awestruck observance to give him a meek smile. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Lord Freeza!” a shrill voice suddenly calls.

Tori and Freeza look back to see a small, yellow alien hurriedly rush into the room with another, older-looking blue alien strutting casually behind him.

“Kikono, Beriblu…” Freeza says coolly, turning his head to face forward again, “I was wondering where you’d run off to.”

“My apologies, Lord Freeza!” Kikono says with a frantic bow, “I was just checking that all of the ship’s specs were adequate to ensure there was no delay in our departure!”

“Yes, yes,” Freeza answers halfheartedly.

Meanwhile, Beriblu draws closer to Tori, inspecting her quizzically from top to bottom.

“So this is our lord’s famous bride-to-be?” she muses, her usual mischievous grin spread across her face, “She seems a promising empress indeed.”

“Of course,” Freeza replies dryly, not looking back at the two of them, “Would I choose any other?”

Beriblu grins, hovering up and closer to the tyrant, her head craned just behind one of his shoulders. “And I’d never expect you would select one so young, my lord.”

Freeza’s eye twitches as his dark lips twist into a tested grin, his arms still crossed tautly over his chest. “That has nothing to do with it…”

“Kikono and Beriblu, was it?” Tori suddenly speaks up, catching their attention. “I-It’s nice to meet you both. I hope we work well together in the future,” she says while giving them both a polite bow.

“As do I, Lady Tori!” Kikono quickly says as he returns her gesture, “If there’s anything I can ever do to be of service, please do let me know!”

Tori gives the small alien an thankful smile. “Thank you, Kikono. I really appreciate that.”

Kikono clears his throat, turning to look back up at Freeza as he asks, “Are you ready to depart, my lord?”

“Yes,” the tyrant sighs, “Let us be off.”

Tori jolts as the ship snaps and whirs beneath her feet. Her knees shake as it disconnects from and hovers just above the hotel rooftop. As one of Freeza’s minions gives the signal for take-off, she feels a sudden rush of dread. Before she can say anything, the ship takes off, zipping into the air.

Not yet having her space legs, she barrels forward and topples over and on top of Kikono. Freeza and Beriblu both watch in surprise as the two of them collapse onto the cold, metal floor.

“I-I am so sorry!” Tori quickly says as she picks herself up, pulling Kikono up with her.

Before she can stand up fully, Freeza grips her from under her shoulder, helping her the rest of the way up and leaving Kikono to dust himself off. Beriblu chuckles to herself at her coworker’s frenzied expression.

“No, please, m-my apologies, Lady Tori! Please forgive my clumsiness!” Kikono quickly says while giving a deep, apologetic bow.

“But you didn’t...” Tori begins to say in confusion, only to be interrupted by her husband-to-be.

“Really, I should have known you’d be ill-prepared for such a thing,” the tyrant shakes his head in a huff, seemingly more at himself than at her. Releasing her arm, he gives her a serious look. “My apologies for that, as well as making contact without your permission.”

It takes a moment before she realizes what he means, and she gives him a surprised look. “O-Oh, no - that’s okay…”

Returning his attention to the head of the control room - and dismissing some wayward, curious glances from his crew - Freeza nods as a signal for them to recommence.

As they continue their journey, Tori keeps her distance from Freeza minimal - not wanting to make even more of a fool of herself in front of his underlings.

 

* * *

 

After a short time on the ship, it halts and remains hovered in the sky, a puff of air diffusing from the ramp as it extends down.

As Freeza, Tori, Kikono, and Beriblu wait at its top, Tori looks down to see them still very high up in the air and just above a seemingly endless wasteland filled with tall, earthen pillars. Her knees shake, feeling as if she’s falling just by looking at it. She gulps before looking to her fiancé.

“F-Freeza?”

“What is it now?” he asks a bit coldly.

“I-I’m afraid of heights…”

He sighs almost tiredly. “Of course you are.”

She looks on as he begins to walk down the ramp, perfectly calm with his arms crossed behind his back as he does. Stopping at its base, he turns to give her an expectant look.

“Well?” he asks flatly while giving a beckoning motion with his hand.

She gulps, her legs feeling like they’re filled with sand, the soles of her feet planted firmly to the ramp where she’s standing. If it were only Freeza present, she’d drop to her bottom and scoot her way over - but that wasn’t the case.

“There’s nothing to fear, Lady Tori,” Kikono boasts from behind her, “You’re in good care under our Lord Freeza, rest assured!”

Lips pursed, she decides there’s no way around it. With her feet still stuck to the ramp, she slides them forward, one by one, her arms held out at her sides for extra balance.

With her eyes glued down, focused on the motion of her “steps,” Tori doesn’t notice Freeza’s fervent watch of her. His red irises scan her every movement, waiting for the moment she might slip and fall. To his surprise, though, she doesn’t, and he feels a small swell of pride as she finally comes to stop at his side.

“Are you ready?” he asks, his tone having taken a softer turn.

She turns her head to look at him, lip quivering. “Wh-Where are we going? Can’t we just land the ship first?”

He raises a brow at her. “Didn’t you say you were going to trust me?” he asks.

She purses her lips and, after a moment, gives a small nod, still not feeling wholly reassured.

“Good. Do I have your permission to transport you then?” he asks, still standing in his stoic stance as he awaits her answer.

Feeling ready to crumple to the ground, she quickly nods again. With that, he loops his arm behind her back and hooks it around her waist. She immediately feels the weight of her body dangling in his grip as he lifts from the ramp, making her gasp.

As he makes his way towards one of the rocky pillars ahead, he peeks at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she looks down worriedly at the distant ground below. He smirks a bit to himself, not used to feeling this sort of reliance from another person - especially one who’s so meek and fearful.

To her relief, they land on one of the pillars. She steps away from him once he releases his grip, leaving him to watch in amusement as she searches the area, hands fidgeting between one another.

“S-So,” she stutters, sending him a forced smile, “This is where we’re doing our first day of training?”

“That’s right,” he nods before sending her a coy smile, “And, luckily for you, I’ve decided to give you something rather easy for your first day. Aren’t I merciful?”

She feels her stomach twist as he chuckles over those last few words. “‘Easy?’” she asks.

“Yes,” he affirms, stepping forward.

Before she can ask, he slides her glasses from her ears and off her face, stepping back as he folds them closed in his hands.

“You will meditate here for one hour,” he orders, pointing down at the surface of the column they’re standing on, “I will return for you once that time is finished.” Seeing the baffled look on her face, he gives her an amused smirk. “Unless you learn to fly down by yourself - although I was saving that lesson for another time…”

“J-Just a moment,” she stutters, waving her hands in front of her, “What does meditation have to do with my training?”

He sighs, not liking that she feels the need to question his methods.

“Before you can master your powers, or combat, or flight, or training of **any** kind, your mind must first be at ease,” he explains while tapping his temple with his index finger, “It will do you no good to attempt to learn any of these things when you can’t even see.”

“Oh…” she mutters in realization.

“You will meditate on your power and the ideals of it; imagine the best case scenarios it can bring you and focus on them until they become the only possibility in your mind,” he continues, sounding very sure of what he’s saying.

She fiddles with the hems of her sleeves and gives him an unsure look. “And you believe that will work?”

He scoffs, “Do you think I’d waste your time with it if not?”

“N-No…”

“Then you’d best begin right away,” he says with a imperious grin.

Before she can say anything else, he hops from the stoney pillar and zips back towards the ship. Landing in the archway of the still-opened hatch, he sends her one last vexing look from over his shoulder before the ramp closes shut.

She stands at the center of the column, watching until the ship disappears from view. With it gone, she steps forward just enough to see the towering distance between herself and the treeline below - taller than any building she’d ever been in. Gulping, she steps back, dropping to sit on the pillar’s grassy surface.

“May as well do what I’m here for,” she sighs to herself.

The dirt and grass beneath her shuffles as she crosses her legs, adjusting her bottom to sit as comfortably as possible. She straightens her posture and rests her hands in her lap, closing her eyes as she thinks of where to start.

She recalls what Freeza had said - about “the best case scenarios” and “the ideal” her powers could bring - and wonders to herself what those would be. Control, she thought, but that wasn’t specific enough.

She peeks an eye open to see a bird fly by, feeling envious of its wings. She exhales, closing the one eye again as she tries to continue her train of thought.

While thinking to herself, Tori is brought to her first psychic incident: she was only six years old and, now that she thinks back to it, it doesn’t really seem like something that was worth having an “episode” over. Still, all it took was one kid purposely tripping her in the hall, which caused her to shatter an overhead light with her mind.

It wasn’t intentional, of course, but from then on she’d been followed by all sorts of phenomenon as a result of her strong emotions. Then, after a more serious episode when she was 12 years old, her family had found the eyeglasses solution, which has kept another incident from occurring since - excluding the one from just a few days prior.

She sighs at the thought, wishing she had been more keen on Yaki’s mischief or, at the very least, been less stubborn and more willing to call it quits earlier on. She didn’t want to scare Bulma and Android 18 away, though, and so she paid the price for her gambling.

A small gust of wind blows by, brushing gently against her face, prompting her to peek her eyes open. Despite the height from where she sat, the landscape did look beautiful, and she hadn’t enjoyed time such as this to herself in a long while. She still can’t help but wonder, though, if it’s been at all close to an hour yet.

With an exhale, she closes her eyes again, returning to her “meditation,” if she could even qualify revisiting her past as such.

Instead, she begins to actually focus on what Freeza had asked her to - the ideal that she could imagine for her powers.

 

* * *

 

Tori’s mind wanders for some time - longer than she realizes - as she revisits past experiences and ponders how she would have preferred them to go, as well as being able to use her powers in a more productive - and somewhat more flashy - way, similar to what she’d seen in TV shows and movies growing up, as well as some of the more supernatural books she’d read over the years.

A nearby presence suddenly jarrs her from her thoughts, though. She blinks, looking around for its source, unable to find anything. With a gulp, she stands up, hoping it was just a trick of the wind or that an hour had already passed.

“F-Freeza?” she calls out, still looking around somewhat hesitantly, “I-Is that you..?”

A sharp, laser-like sound rings out of nowhere, making her jolt. Before she can fully react, though, its source collides with the pillar she’s standing on, shattering the stone beneath her feet. Her stomach feels as if it’s jumped into her throat as her body falls through the air. The sensation of it all makes her scream, the sound escaping her before she can even think to make it.

She’s quickly caught by a strong set of arms, and the collision shakes her slightly. As she recovers, she looks up to see a familiar, pale white face.

“Freeza…” she gasps tiredly.

The tyrant hardly has time to yuck up his own heroism as he bats away another laser-attack with his bare hand, sending it up into the air and out of sight, the sound of it making Tori yelp.

With her still bound to his side, Freeza glares out at the cloud of dust that’s risen from the unknown assailant’s first attack.

“You’ve certainly done well to make a bad first impression, whoever you are,” he calls out amongst the haze, “Reveal yourself now and I might consider sparing your life!”

A succession of chuckling rings out from the settling dust, finally revealing their attackers: three unfamiliar faces, all characters neither Freeza nor Tori recognize. One is tall and thin in frame, the other more bulky and average in stature, and the last shorter and stockier than the rest. They’re adorned with strange, ornate attire - seemingly more for show rather than any sort of protection.

“It’s an honor, Lord Freeza,” the taller of the three boasts mockingly as he gives a small bow, “My apologies for the brashness of our entrance. My name is Neo, and these are my cohorts, Argo and Xeno.”

“So you know who I am,” Freeza says, ignoring Neo’s introductions, “I suppose that’s no surprise, though, considering…”

“Of course,” Neo continues, seemingly playing alongside Freeza’s ego with his own, “After all, you’ve made quite the name for yourself in this universe - and even beyond that after the Tournament of Power.”

“So you’ve kept yourself up to date on current events,” Freeza blusters back, his head tilting to give the three of them a vexing look, “But, if you know of me, then what justifies your foolishness in crossing my path? That is what I’m most curious about.”

“It’s merely a troublesome twist of fate, I’m afraid,” Neo says with a disapproving shake of his head, “And, while we appreciate the ‘care’ you’ve given our dear heiress, I’ll have to ask that you hand her over to us.”

As the stranger points to her, Tori feels her chest tighten.

“M-Me?” she squeaks.

Freeza glances down at Tori, taking note of her confused expression. “It seems your ‘heiress’ doesn’t recognize you,” he says flatly while looking back at their group.

“That’s only fair, I suppose,” Neo responds while shaking his head in a tisk, “I doubt her mother’s even mentioned us at all.”

“But...how would you know my mother?” Tori asks, feeling more and more uneasy as the conversation continues.

Neo only smirks, seemingly happy to goad Tori on. “That’s something we can discuss once you’re safely in our care - as well as any other questions you may have.”

“So,” the second member of their team - Argo - finally speaks up, her patience running thin, “Are you gonna’ come with us or not?”

“Absolutely not..!” Tori quickly replies as she leans back more into Freeza.

Argo chuckles, a troublesome grin spreading across her face as she cracks her knuckles. “Well, we tried askin’…” she says lowly.

In the next instance, she comes barreling at Freeza and Tori in a heated blaze. Tori’s eyes widen, hardly able to adjust as Argo’s toothy grin is suddenly in her face.

Freeza easily catches the first punch she throws at them, clenching her hand hard in his with seemingly no affect. As she whips the other one in for another hit, he’s forced to deflect it with his tail - his other arm still holding Tori at his side.

Freeza flies backwards as Argo continues her frenzied assault, not a bead of sweat dripping from her body, her expression becoming more manic with every punch. As he dodges and blocks Argo’s attacks, Freeza finds it difficult to keep Tori out of harm’s way.

“Must be hard fightin’ with only one hand!” Argo mocks as she continues to throw her fists forward.

“Hmph,” Freeza grunts under his breath, “Don’t taunt me so lightly - this is more an annoyance than a challenge!”

Argo grins, clasping both her hands together and interlacing her fingers. Freeza’s eyes widen as she draws back, launching her gathered fists towards Tori.

Swinging Tori back and away from the attack, he grasps at Argo’s wrists, yanking them down as he bring his knee up and into the side of her face. To his surprise, she quickly shakes off the attack and, as she looks up, the markings under her eyes suddenly spread open, revealing a second pair of eyes.

Freeza and Tori both look at Argo in shock, not sure what to make of the satisfied look on her face. Tori perks up, though - a peculiar feeling tingling up her spine - drawing her attention behind them. Her eyes widen as a large boulder comes flying their way.

“Freeza, look out!”

Freeza turns, face lighting up in surprise at the oncoming debris. He just barely has time to redirect himself, facing his right shoulder in its path rather than the left, where Tori’s still being held.

The boulder splits and crumbles upon impact, missing Argo entirely. Freeza slumps - his body not having been prepared for the collision - and looks up just in time to see Argo throw another punch, leaving him barely enough time to block it. As Tori looks up, she sees Neo hovered in the distance, a gathering of boulders levitating above him.

“F-Freeza!” Tori calls again, pointing upwards, “Over there!”

Freeza looks up as he busily blocks more of Argo’s punches, his face dropping once he sees Neo’s prepared attack.

“You’ve got to be joking!” he seethes angrily before flipping backwards and away from Argo.

Neo smirks as he breaks the boulders down into smaller shards and sends them zipping down towards the tyrant. “Hand over the girl and this can all be over with, **your** **highness**!” he calls out excitedly.

Tori can feel her stomach churning as Freeza flies them through the air, expertly streaming through the onslaught of sharp debris. Looking back, he can see Argo hot on their trail, the shards bouncing easily off of her body. He grimaces, irate with the entire situation.

“Freeza!” Tori calls out while shielding her face from the oncoming wind, glancing up at him from her folded arms, “Please, just drop me off somewhere - I’m only getting in the way..!”

Freeza narrows his eyes, shaking his head in disapproval. “Don’t be foolish; they’ll only direct their focus to you if I do that!”

“But it’s better than carrying on like this,” she shakes her head back, “Please, I know you can fight them off quicker without having to worry about me!”

Freeza looks at her for a moment - thinking to himself - before giving a sigh and zipping off to the side, carrying her to another one of the pillars.

As he sets her down, Argo quickly approaches from behind. Freeza watches as Tori holds her arms out in a defensive stance, turning his head just in time to block Argo’s attack. He gives Argo an imperious smirk as he grips her hand in his, using his other, now free hand to strike her down hard and into the abyss below.

Tori’s face lights up as she watches him dispatch Argo so easily, looking on as he zips up to Neo, blasting through his prepared shards with a Death Cannon. She jumps as Argo quickly zips up into the air, thankful to see her ignore Tori completely, but still feeling worried as she returns to attack Freeza, despite him holding off both attackers with ease now.

“Ah!” Tori yelps as the ground beneath her shakes.

The elusive Xeno - also having revealed a second pair of eyes on his face - quickly detaches the top of the pillar Tori’s standing on, rendering her stranded on the now-saucer-like surface.

“Yes!” he laughs heartily, feeling quite proud of himself, “Now, come with me, my lady - not that you have much of a choice!”

Tori falls back as the puck-like piece of earth moves forward, Xeno flying it down and behind him as he slips out of sight into the lower parts of the forested canyon. Tori looks up and back to see Freeza still fighting Argo and Neo, making her look forward at Xeno in frustration.

“E-Excuse me!” she calls out impatiently while crawling forward on her little island, “Please put me down this instant!”

“No can do, your highness!” Xeno sneers, sending a cocky look from over his shoulder, “I have orders to bring you back to King Toxa, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do!”

Tori’s face scrunches at his words, not recognizing the name he’d mentioned. Looking down and around the earth she’s being carried on, she spots a small rock. Picking it up, she squints her eyes at Xeno, who’s still looking forward.

“I said…” she mutters, drawing her arm back as she takes aim, finally pitching it in his direction, “Put me down NOW!”

The rock makes impact just as Xeno turns his head again, striking him hard in the face.

“Ah, mm-y eye!” he calls out in pain while covering his injured face.

As he falters, the piece of earth Tori’s flying on collides with him, dropping himself and Tori out of the air and into the dense forest below.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the chapter was so late today. I didn't record that it was a post date in my planner and so I wasn't as prepared as I should have been.
> 
> I'm still glad I was able to get it posted, though, and hope you enjoy! ^^


	9. Naiveté

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Freeza continues to battle Argo and Neo, all while Tori approaches Xeno about their reason for being here.

A succession of energous waves stir the air as Freeza continues to clash with the two surprise assailants, fending off both their physical and psychic attacks. Despite having had the advantage early on, Argo and Neo now find themselves struggling to keep up.

Freeza’s focus shifts, however, once Xeno begins to cart Tori away. He sighs to himself, cursing the puny pest beneath his breath. He zips past Argo and Neo, disregarding them now that his fiancée is being whisked away.

“H-Hey, get back here!” Argo calls out before darting after him.

She sends a swing barreling down towards his head, but he fades from view, leaving both her and Neo to look around in confusion. They finally spot him standing on one of the earthen pillars, looking down at the both of them with frustration.

“Disappointing to say, but I’ll need to cut this little playdate short.”

Argo sends the tyrant a contemptuous look. “You can’t brush us off that easily - even if we’ve got you runnin’ scared!”

Freeza snickers, his index finger held to his chin as he shakes his head in feigned pity. “Sorry to shatter your little delusions, but you pose no threat to me. I’ve merely been measuring your skills this entire battle,” he says lowly, red eyes narrowing at the both of them, “And now that your third accomplice has made the mistake of fleeing with my bride, you two are only getting in my way. So, that all being said, you can step aside - or else...”

Argo scoffs, her lips twisting into a grin as she squints her eyes in Freeza’s direction. “Or else **what**?”

A sinister grin spreads across his face just before he disappears from sight again, this time appearing behind Argo. With one swift movement, he drives his hand through her abdomen, piercing it with no real effort. Her eyes widen at the impact. Smirking to himself, Freeza pulls his arm out through her back, leaving a gaping wound behind, dark liquid spilling from it in a gush.

“Or else **that**.”

“A-Argo!” Neo shouts as he watches his teammate drop lifelessly out of the sky.

Just then, Freeza flies into Neo with his foot planted against his chest, driving him into one of the nearby earthen pillars. Neo looks up, grimacing at the sight of Freeza’s wicked smile.

“Do you believe me now when I say you’re not a threat to me?” he asks between wild laughter.

Gritting his teeth, Neo raises his hands to prepare an attack, only for Freeza to grip him by the wrists. With his foot still plated firmly to Neo’s chest, Freeza jerks back, ripping Neo’s arms from his body in one clean tear.

“Well, well,” Freeza muses casually while looking over the two amputated limbs, specifically the the oil, wires, and circuitry jutting out from their torn ends, “I had my suspicions, but still - it’s reassuring to know that your biomechanical structure is the reason I wasn’t able to sense any sort of energy from you.”

Neo trembles, his eyes wide as he watches Freeza speak so casually after committing such a violent act. “Y-You’re deranged!”

Freeza chuckles to himself before sending his victim a coy smirk. “Oh, please, don’t act so surprised,” he muses while tossing the arms aside, “After all, I thought you’d done all your research?”

Neo gulps, his eyes following his newly departed arms as they fall off into the distant treeline below.

“Now, as much as you’ve earned a painful, drawn-out death, I need to be sure my fiancée is still in one piece…” Freeza sighs tiredly - feeling his fun was cut short - before giving Neo another perplexing smirk, “Ta-ta!”

With that, Freeza zips off in Tori’s direction, leaving Neo to remain against the same earthen pillar, still shaking from the tyrant’s twisted smile.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, in the depths of the forest at the base of the rocky, pillared canyon, Tori breaches through the surface of the small lake she’d landed, gasping for air. She exhales in relief, before remembering her captor. Searching around frantically, she spots him floating lifelessly just a few feet away.

“Oh..!” she exhales in surprise, quickly paddling over to him. He’s just small enough for her to drape him over her back as she swims them both to shore.

Once ashore, she pulls him to lay on his back, inspecting over him worriedly.

“Um…” she mutters, brushing the wet hair out of her face with one hand and prodding at him gently with the other, “‘Xeno,’ was it? A-Are you alright..?”

Finally he begins to stir, and lets out a groan as he sits up straight. His eyes widen once he takes notice of her, and quickly scrambles to his feet.

“A-Are you insane?!” he sputters breathlessly, “You could’ve killed us!”

“I’m sorry!” she says back, waving her hands in front of her defensively, “It’s just, you wouldn’t let me go, so…”

Xeno scoffs as he wrings the water out of the bottom of his tunic and gives her a harsh, sideways glance.

“Well, you shouldn't be so hasty. Wait for a better opportunity the next time you’re being kidnapped!”

She purses her lips, staying silent as he continues to grumble to himself.

“Are you alright?” she asks again, more gently this time.

“Why are you asking me that?” he sneers, eyes narrowing, “Why would you care?”

“I...I don’t know,” she admits sheepishly while rubbing the back of her neck.

He scoffs again, “You really are naive, you know that? Didn’t anyone teach you not to sympathise with the enemy?”

“I’ve never really had enemies before,” she says while giving him a curious look, “...but I didn’t think you were; you made it sound like we were supposed to be on the same side.”

Xeno grows silent, his eyes fixated elsewhere in an attempt to avoid hers. She leans a bit closer to try and catch his eye.

“Xeno?” she asks, “Please, can you tell me what’s going on here? Can’t we call a truce?”

“A truce?” he snorts, giving her a bewildered look, “Freeza’s going to kill us off if we don’t leave with you right away - there is no ‘truce!’”

“I-I could talk to him - if this is all just a misunderstanding, I’m sure I can convince him to let you go..!” she says while giving a reassuring smile.

He looks at her again, eyes narrowing while trying to decipher her intentions. “But why though? We threatened and attacked you. Why are you giving us the benefit of the doubt?”

That was a good question, Tori thought. She purses her lips, bubbling her cheeks with a small breath of air, eyes glancing to the side as she thinks.

“I don’t know,” she finally says, lifting her head to give him a meek smile, “Maybe I am just naive...”

He watches as she stands up, a certain determination now burning in her stare.

“Still though, I would really appreciate it if you could tell me why you’re all here - even if it has to be in exchange for your safety.”

Xeno is silent for a moment, obviously thinking hard to himself and weighing his options. Just then, Tori senses something. Looking up, she can almost feel Freeza approaching.

“F-Freeza’s here..!” she says aloud, without thinking.

“What?!” Xeno quickly asks before turning and frantically darting away.

“Wait, come back!” she calls after him, but to no avail as he disappears into the nearby foliage.

Just then, Freeza lands hard and fast on the ground several feet in away from her. Turning, she can’t help but smile as she rushes up to him. “Freeza..!”

“You’re unharmed,” he exhales, almost sounding relieved, “But where did that other plebeian run off to?

Xeno tenses in the brush that he’s currently hiding in, trembling at the thought that Freeza might find him.

“Oh, um, h-he wasn’t here when I came to,” Tori quickly says, “I fell in the lake, but I’m not sure where he went after that.”

“I see,” Freeza says while looking over her soaked self, “How **did** you end up down here? Did he harm you at all?”

“Oh, n-no, not at all,” she gulps, suddenly feeling quite embarrassed, “He was flying me off somewhere and wouldn’t let me go, so I threw a rock a-and it made him drop the both of us.”

“You...threw a rock at him?” Freeza repeats while raising a brow.

As she nods, his eyes widen in disbelief, then he snickers, that snicker turning into a full blown laugh - making Xeno grimace to himself.

“Well, it lacks gravitas, but I suppose it was all you could manage,” Freeza says, sighing at the end of his laughter, “Still, that was quite reckless; you could have been injured - or worse.”

“I’m sorry,” she says with a small bow of her head, “I just felt so useless already, and it was the first thing I thought to do…”

“You’ll be more than capable of fighting your own battles soon enough,” Freeza responds, a gentle scolding tone to his voice, “But, until then, don’t think of yourself in such a way while relying on me for protection; as we discussed, it’s a responsibility I’ve taken on willingly.”

“Right,” Tori agrees with a firm nod, “I’ll do better not to be so hasty from now on.”

“Hmm,” Freeza hums as he steps closer to her, his crimson eyes looking her up and down, “You seem much more...determined than you were before. Did something else happen while you were with that pathetic lout?”

“N-No, not at all,” she answers genuinely, not connecting her conversation with Xeno to his observation, “Perhaps the meditation is already helping? Or I’m just feeling a bit worn after being confronted by those strangers…”

“Perhaps,” Freeza responds, “Either way, I believe it’s wise we turn in for the day. Any longer in this frigid air and you may become ill, which would only delay our training further.”

“Of course,” she agrees, a small smile spreading on her face.

Still hidden away in the brush, Xeno watches as Freeza offers his hand to Tori. Despite Freeza being the terrifying tyrant that he is, she immediately steps over, not a hint of worry on her face - even as he winds his arm around her waist.

They blast off into the sky and out of view, leaving the small outsider to himself. He dares not move yet, just in case Freeza plans to wait for an ambush, but also can’t help but wonder what’s become of his teammates.

 

* * *

 

Once arriving at the hotel, Freeza flies Tori back down to the balcony of their suite. Stepping forward, she turns back to give him an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry again for causing so much trouble.”

“Didn’t we just discuss this?” Freeza asks while raising a brow, “Your apologies are becoming excessive at this point.”

“I don’t just mean about me being hasty,” she shakes her head, “Now there’s some mysterious group of people that are after me and I can’t even tell you why - and you were put in harm’s way because of it.”

“Oh, please,” Freeza scoffs while giving her an amused smirk, “Those three were hardly any threat. Not to mention their coming here isn’t any fault of yours, therefore you shouldn’t feel the need to apologize.” He sighs, giving her another tired look, “You really are naive at times...”

She purses her lips, his words taking her back to what Xeno had said earlier. “Well, I didn’t even take the time to thank you for saving me - and protecting me through that entire fight - **and** saving me again after I was kidnapped,” she says.

“That’s an obligation I’ve decided to take, remember?” he responds tiredly.

“Still, it was very noble of you,” she retorts, taking his hands in hers as she looks intently into his eyes.

His heart races as he watches her eyes glimmer and her expression become more focused, as if she was planning something - what, though, he wasn’t entirely sure.

With a frown, he asks, “What are you scheming in that head of yours?”

She smiles, a light pink blushing over her cheeks. “I was just thinking of how I might thank you properly.”

He turns his head from her in an impatient huff, the bridge of his nose beginning to burn red. “I already told you I don’t need thanking…”

She smiles at his bashfulness and, releasing his hands, she steps back.

“Well, I suppose I should clean up before I catch a cold…” she says meekly.

He watches as she turns and walks towards the door leading back into their suite.

“Aren’t you forgetting something?” he asks just before she reaches for the door’s handle.

She turns, eyes lighting up as he holds up her glasses in his hand.

“M-My glasses..!” she says in surprise, rushing back up to retrieve them, “I’d completely forgotten about them!”

He looks over her as she takes them back, already unfolding them to put them back on her face.

“And yet here you are, hours later without so much as a single wince of pain,” he remarks.

“Oh,” she says, lowering the spectacles to look over them, “I-I’m not sure how that’s possible...”

“Perhaps your condition is more psychological than it is a physical,” he suggests with a tilt of his head, “And, all this time, the only threat was in your head."

She huffs, lifting her head to give him a sheepish smile. “My eyes were closed for the majority of the time.”

“True,” he responds, “But you could still make the argument that you were too preoccupied to panic yourself over the thought of losing control - that fear being the primary factor in your breakdowns to begin with.”

She looks at him for a moment, her expression becoming more vulnerable. “...you really believe I can change, don’t you?”

“You have the potential to become something more than a politician’s debutant so long as you put in the effort,” he says flatly, “So yes, I do.”

Despite his calculated response, she smiles at him sweetly, his confidence bubbling up her heart.

“I guess I should turn in for the night so I can rest up for our next training session then,” she says, walking back towards the door, stopping to give him one last shy glance before leaving, “So, um, until then...goodnight.”

“Yes, until then,” he says, sending her a mischievous smirk, “Unless you’d like for me to read you a bedtime story?”

She huffs, shaking her head as she gives him a disapproving smirk. He watches as she goes inside, disappearing from sight as she reaches the bathroom.

Once she’s left, the smirk uncoils from his lips and his eyes drop to the ground, his demeanor suddenly becoming more sullen as he flies back up to the hotel’s roof.

His eyes remain glued to the floor as he reaches his ship, making his way up the ramp and to the privacy of his communication room - what he thought would be private, however, considering Beriblu was already inside and seeing to some of her own duties.

Upon seeing Freeza, she smiles, a knowing look on her face as she goes back to her work.

“How is our Lady doing, Lord Freeza?” she asks, the question acting as more of a formality than what she’s actually curious about.

“She’s fine,” he responds dryly, stepping inside just before the metal doors close shut behind him.

“That’s good to hear,” Beriblu nods, looking at the tyrant from over her shoulder, “And what of those mysterious strangers?”

“Discarded of, for the most part,” he says while looking out the room’s large, domed window, “I figured leaving them a mangled wreck would act as a sufficient message to that bothersome leader of theirs.”

“I see,” Beriblu responds with an approving nod of her head, “And you’re sure you didn’t finish them off as not to frighten your fiancée?”

Freeza scoffs, his red eyes glinting at her. “It's a relief to have **someone** insightful enough to catch on…”

“Of course,” she says, nodding her head in thanks, “But why not just dispose of them in secret and then lie if she asks?”

Freeza’s expression drops, his eyes narrowing as he looks down in Tori’s direction - still able to sense her through his ship’s floor and the hotel’s roof.

“From what I’ve seen, she’s been raised in a verbally abusive and manipulative household,” he explains in a dry, calculated tone, “Now that she’s reached adulthood, it’s possible she’s more perceptive to those sort of interactions; I’d rather not be caught in a lie and lose all the progress I’ve made so far.”

“I see, that’s very well thought out,” Beriblu agrees while giving him a proud smile, “After all, she hasn’t cowered in fear of you once today, and even let you carry her about from place to place. I’d say that’s good progress indeed.”

“Precisely,” he responds, sitting in one of the nearby chairs as his eyes follow Tori’s wandering ki, “Even more relieving is her eagerness to learn. She endured hours without her crutch and hadn’t even a remote sign of relapse, meaning this process may be far less drawn out than I’d originally surmised.”

“That would be ideal indeed. Perhaps she’d even be capable of fighting this new threat herself if the timing were right,” she speculates aloud while finishing up her task.

Freeza’s face lights up at his attendant’s words, his mind already racing at the thought. As if expecting this, Beriblu turns to give him a farewell bow.

“Have a good night, my lord,” she muses before standing up straight, “Be sure not to work yourself too hard.”

“Yes…” he mumbles to himself, hardly noticing as she leaves the room.

His eyes lower again to her energy, which is still idle in one of the rooms; it’s calm and level, leading him to believe she’s already gone to sleep.

He recalls a number of tasks that require his attention - most of them concerning the activity of the fleet while he continued his stay on Earth - but, for whatever reason, he feels much more drawn to the idea of returning downstairs than attending to any of his tyrannical duties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is a day late! I did not plan my day out very well yesterday. ^^'
> 
> Also a bit of a shorter chapter, but still chock full of some important moments and exchanges!


	10. More to Consider

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tori and Freeza meet back up with Bulma and Android 18, catching them up with what's happened with the strange invaders from just a few days prior.
> 
> And, as Freeza builds Tori up to finally approach her mother in question of her past, those same invaders attempt to plan their next move.

Bulma and Android 18 both listen intently as Tori recounts the past few days, describing in great detail the strangers that had attacked her and Freeza and the vexing words they’d shared.

“Wow…” Bulma mutters, still trying to take it all in, “So do you think you have some sort of connection with those three? Since they were trying to take you away and all.”

“I don’t think so,” Tori replies with a shake of her head, “I mean, my mother’s never mentioned them, despite them mentioning her.”

“Maybe she just hasn’t said anything to you,” 18 adds as she blows the steam from her coffee.

“Maybe…” Tori mumbles sullenly while raising the rim of her tea to her lips.

Freeza, who’s standing nearby in the café, feels strangely troubled by his fiancée’s gloomy disposition. His tail flicks back and forth as he tries to think of something to say that might break up the clouds looming over her head.

“Whether or not your mother is withholding information won’t matter in the end,” he finally says, “The truth will find its way to us in time.”

Tori gives him a surprised look from over her tea, smiling to herself as she takes a small sip. “Y-Yes, I hope so...”

“I’m guessing that’s why you’re here then?” Bulma asks, now looking at Freeza with a curious look, “I doubt you’d be here just to look over wedding arrangements with us.”

“Since I am unable to sense these invaders’ energy, it is best I remain at her side at all times,” he explains before giving her a tested look, “So yes, you’d be correct in your assumption.”

Bulma huffs, not impressed by the tyrant’s attempts at intimidation. “Well, anyway, let’s not worry about the mysterious invaders for now. We have plenty of work to do besides that.”

Flipping open a large binder, she turns to a page collaged with example pieces of wedding venues and decorations.

“Since the garden’s gonna be out of commission for a while, it looks like we’ll have to start from scratch,” Bulma says while looking over the photos, raising her head once she addresses Tori, “Sorry about that...”

Tori gives her a surprised look. “Why are you apologizing to me? I’m the one who destroyed the venue,” Tori says with a sheepish smile.

“Well, that wasn’t really your fault, remember?” Bulma points out, “And now it’s just more work for you since the flora won’t be growing back for a while.”

Tori purses her lips, letting a small sigh out through her nose. “I’ve definitely been struggling to find another location for it, though,” Tori admits as she slumps back in her chair.

“Hmm,” Bulma hums, rubbing her chin as she looks over the next page, which is littered with pictures of tropical venues. Suddenly, her face lights up, and she gives Tori an excited look. “Hey, I know!”

Tori jolts at Bulma’s sudden raise of voice. “Wh-What is it?”

“I have the perfect place,” Bulma says cheerfully, giving Tori a wink, “I bought an island not too long ago and had some property built on top of it. It’d be perfect for the ceremony, and there’s plenty of room for the reception, too!”

“Y-You own an island..?” Tori mutters in disbelief.

“I guess that would work,” Android 18 adds as she considers the idea herself, “It’s pretty spacious, and the scenery **is** beautiful - it’d be perfect for a wedding.”

“If you think it would work - a-and if we wouldn’t be imposing...” Tori stutters unsurely while rubbing the back of her neck. She looks to Freeza, who’s still standing on-guard nearby. “What do you think, Freeza?”

Freeza’s body remains mostly still as he scans over her. She appears hesitant about the idea, but he discerns that’s likely due to it coming in the form of such a generous offer - something that always seems to frazzle her.

“I don’t see a problem with it myself,” he says with a casual shrug, “So long as the accommodations are adequate and the venue is to your liking.”

Bulma and Android 18 both give Freeza a stunned look, surprised to see the tyrant giving up his own favor in exchange for someone else’s so easily.

“An island wedding would be really nice,” Tori ponders aloud as she looks from her tea back to Bulma, “And if you’re sure it’s alright, Bulma?”

“Of course,” Bulma responds, smiling brightly, “Just give me your dad’s number and I’ll get him all the details. I’ll even help with transportation since, you know, it’s on an island and all.”

“That would be very helpful,” Tori smiles, her heart warming at her friend’s generosity, “Thank you, Bulma.”

“It’s no problem,” Bulma smiles back, waving her hand in a dismissive motion, “Now, let’s get to the fun stuff, shall we?”

The three of them begin to mull back over the binder, and Freeza can’t help but feel left out as they chatter between one another, giggling at one another’s comments. As he continues to sulk in the corner, Tori takes notice, raising her head to look in his direction.

“Freeza?” she says, smiling warmly once she’s caught his attention, “Would you like to join us?”

He stiffens, mind racing as he assesses how to respond without losing poise. Arms crossing taught over his chest, he tilts his head away, eyes closed as he feigns disinterest.

“...if you feel it’s necessary, then I suppose,” he mutters dryly before walking over to their table.

Sitting in the chair closest to Tori, he looks down over the open page of photos. They’re portrayed with mostly light, pastel colors, making him grimace almost immediately.

“I’m guessing you don’t like them already?” Bulma asks flatly.

The tyrant doesn’t move, his crimson eyes still honed in on the colorful patterns and displays. “They’re just so bright and... **exuberant**.”

“If you don’t like them, then we can always look for something else,” Tori adds before turning to the next page, her tone dropping as it presents yet another assortment of brightly patterned colors, “O-Oh…”

“There **has** to be something else in here,” Android 18 comments before flipping through the book herself, seemingly in agreeance with Freeza.

As they continue through the binder, the common tastes of the people becomes more and more evident. It takes some time before they finally reach a page with something that catches Freeza’s eye.

“Hold a moment,” Freeza says, holding his hand up in a halting signal.

Once they stop, the photos show a display featuring purple as its main color, with a choice of gold or silver as the accent. Seemingly intrigued, Freeza leans over the page more closely, his index finger held to his chin as he thinks to himself.

“Does that one look nice to you?” Tori asks with a shy smile.

Freeza glances up at her, a vexing smirk spread across his face. “I admit there’s something about this arrangement in particular that appeals to me, yes.”

“I wonder why,” Bulma adds dryly before taking another sip of her coffee.

“It does look a lot like that Golden Form of yours,” 18 remarks bluntly, “If you go with the gold accents, at least.”

Tori’s confused expression reflects how lost she feels in the conversation.

“This is the second time I’m hearing about this ‘gold form’ of yours,” she says while giving her fiancé a curious look.

“Well, if you’re really so eager to know…” Freeza muses with a satisfied grin, “It’s a form I attained through vigorous training - one that holds even more power than the one I’m in now.”

Tori continues to stare at him, blinking in astonishment. “I-I didn’t think you could get any stronger than you already are.”

“Don’t feed his ego too much,” Bulma says in a huff.

Freeza grins, giving Bulma a mischievous look as he leans back in his chair, one leg crossing over the other. “Now that I think of it, my Golden Form would match with these arrangements rather nicely…”

“Don’t you dare,” Bulma responds, eyes narrowed as she sends him a wary smirk, “That’d be too cheesy, even for you.”

“Perhaps so,” the tyrant agrees, “What is this color arrangement called anyway?”

Android 18 leans over just enough to see the text entered below the example color scheme. “‘Royal purple with silver or golden accents.’”

Freeza can’t help but chuckle at the wording. “I see - how serendipitous,” he grins cheekily, “I think this color scheme would suffice well enough.” He looks to Tori, prompting for her response. “And what do you think?”

“I think it’d work, definitely,” Tori responds with a shy smile.

“Great!” Bulma says while clapping her hands together, “I’ll head over to the island and take some notes on the layout to see what we can do with it.” She smiles at Tori as she continues, “And I’m sure you’ll want to take a look at it ahead of time, too, so let me know when you get the chance.”

Tori smiles back and gives a small bow of her head, “Thank you, I would like that.”

They continue to look through the catalogue, marking off their choice of linens, tableware, and a large majority of other decorations that would be needed for the reception.

Suddenly, Bulma’s wristwatch beeps, prompting her to raise it for a better look. “Sorry, guys, but I’ve got to go pick up Trunks and Bulla,” she says while standing up from the table, giving Tori another smile as she does, “But hey, we made a lot of progress today! And why don’t we meet at my place next time?”

“That works for me,” 18 says, “I can bring Marron along to keep the boys out of trouble.”

“That’s also fine with me,” Tori adds, “And I’d love to meet your kids.”

“I’m sure they’ll be excited to finally meet you,” Bulma says with an assured smile. She turns to look at Freeza, giving him a teasing grin. “Plus, Vegeta will be there along with 18, so you don’t have to worry about playing bodyguard.”

The tyrant scoffs as he turns his head away in a huff, “As if I’d leave the safety of my own fiancée in the hands of that **Saiyan**.”

“Suit yourself,” Bulma muses with a pleased smirk, “I’ll see all of you next week then!”

Exiting the café, the two pairs part their separate ways down the sidewalk - Tori making sure to give Bulma her father’s number before they do. As Bulma and 18 walk together, the android gives Bulma a curious look.

“So I thought the plan was to stop the marriage before it could even happen,” 18 remarks dryly, “But you seem rather eager about all of this.”

“I know,” Bulma responds, sending 18 a confident, almost cheerful smile, “But I just have a feeling that going along with it is the right choice for now.”

“Hmm,” the android hums curiously, thinking to herself as they continue to make their way down the cement path.

 

* * *

 

“What an arduous affair that was,” Freeza sighs as he and Tori finally reach the hotel.

“It wasn’t that bad,” Tori says while giving him an amused smirk.

“I beg to differ,” Freeza continues as they step into the elevator, “That Bulma is **especially** tiresome.”

Tori thinks to herself as she presses the button for their floor, a meek smirk spreading over her lips. “Perhaps it’s because you two are actually very similar, and so she challenges you in ways you’re not used to.”

Freeza gives her a surprised look, watching as she steps back from the number pad, her eyes still looking forward as if purposely taunting him to push the subject further.

“My, my,” he muses, voice lilting as he steps over to her, “And where did such a bold statement come from, hmm?”

“I’m not sure if it’d count as ‘bold,’” she replies timidly.

“But bold for you, I would say,” he counters back smoothly.

She can feel her cheeks redden as he comes closer. Stopping at her side and leaning with his arm behind her, he wraps his hand around the bar railing nailed into the elevator wall. She keeps her eyes looking to the side, too bashful to make eye contact with him looming over her.

“It’s just the first thing that came to mind is all,” she insists, the same goading smirk still spread across her face.

A mischievous, more sinister grin coils on his own lips as he continues to look down over her. “And what other sort of things are buzzing around in that head of yours?” he asks, his voice having taken a more suave tone.

Just then, they reach their floor and the elevator doors slide open. Tori’s father is standing just outside in the hall - apparently having been waiting for the elevator himself - making Freeza’s expression drop.

“Oh, Tori - a-and Lord Freeza!” Butan says, quickly giving the tyrant a bow as he and Tori exit the elevator, “Were you able to make any progress with the wedding arrangements today?”

“Yes, we picked out a color scheme and most of the decorations,” Tori replies with a cheerful smile.

“Good, I’m so glad, sweetheart,” Butan huffs while giving his daughter a relieved smile.

“Oh, also-” Tori says, her tone becoming more eager, “Bulma says we can use her island property to host the wedding. I gave her your number, so she should be calling you soon..!”

“Oh,” Butan responds, his eyes wide with surprise, “Well, that’s certainly a surprise - a-and quite generous of her! I’ll definitely be sure to keep an eye out for her call.”

Freeza watches as the two of them talk, exchanging their stories about the day’s events, growing more and more impatient as they continue to do so.

“Yes, very good,” he finally says before giving her father an irritated look, “But weren’t you just on your way out? Unless my eyes deceived me…”

Butan gulps as he gives the tyrant a forced smile. “Y-Yes, of course,” he responds, giving his daughter one last warm smile, “I’m just on my way to city hall to take care of a few things, but let me know if you need anything, alright?”

“Yes, father,” Tori answers with a smile and a nod, watching as her father leaves via the elevator.

“Hmm,” Freeza hums as he thinks to himself, “I’ve just had an idea.”

“What is it?” Tori asks as she turns to face him.

“I believe this would be a good time to confront your mother about her possible relation to those pests from earlier,” he says.

“H-Huh?” Tori stutters, her demeanor changing entirely at just the idea, “Right now..?!”

“Is there a better time that you can think of?” he asks while giving her a strange look.

She falters at his question, lips pursing and eyes darting to the side as she tries to think of an answer. It doesn’t take much more than that for him to sense the overwhelming dread now consuming her.

“Are you afraid to?” he asks, genuine curiosity held behind his calm tone.

“N-No..! I-” she huffs, cutting herself off from answering, resigned to look down at the ground with what almost looks like shame.

“I see,” Freeza continues, crossing his arms behind his back, “Because I’d only hope that my being there at your side would be enough to quell any sort of fear you my have.”

She takes a moment to think, convincing herself that, with Freeza there, this time wouldn’t be like all the others. Raising her head, she gives him a knowing smile and nods her head as a signal for them to continue forward. They do just that, making their way down the hall and towards her parents’ suite.

As they stop in front of the door, Tori’s feeling of dread resurfaces despite still having Freeza at her side. His presence is enough to push her through the motion of gently drumming her bent digits on the metallic surface, though.

A moment passes and, as the gears inside begin to whir, she feels her heart race. It slows, though, when she sees a familiar head of sunny orange hair.

“Yaki,” she says in surprise, “I-Is mother inside..?”

“Why do you want to know?” Yaki asks, in a seemingly worse mood than usual.

“I wanted to talk to her about something that happened the other day,” Tori explains, her courage beginning to wane the more delayed she becomes, “It’s important.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Yaki presses while crossing her good arm over her casted one.

“We’ve no time for your interrogations,” Freeza finally comments, eyes narrowing and tail flicking in annoyance, “Now move out of our way.”

Yaki shrugs and steps to the side. “If you insist…”

As she and Freeza step inside, Tori can’t help but huff to herself at the irony - the only thing that was keeping the overwhelming dread of approaching her mother about a possibly touchy subject was the most dangerous, spine-chilling tyrant in all the universe.

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, a lone ship hides some miles away in the middle of a forest. Inside, Neo and Xeno wait for their teammate Argo’s repairs to be finished.

“Damn that Freeza…” Neo curses through gritted teeth, his fists clenching as he rests them on the repair table, “He was only toying with us from the beginning!”

“He was much stronger than what we were prepared for…” Xeno adds while sitting in a nearby chair, his head hung down morosely and fingers twiddling anxiously.

“We’ll make him pay,” Neo seethes as his eyes follow the automated arm making repairs on Argo’s chest, “Him **and** that spoiled little scholar brat!”

Xeno perks up, raising his head to give Neo a worried look. “W-Wait a second - but she hasn’t done anything..!”

Xeno flinches as his comrade quickly sends him a chilling glare.

“We wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for her! Not to mention Telluria’s selfish absconding - if she’d just adapted like everyone else-!”

Just then, the door to the repair room slides open. They stand at attention, with Xeno dropping from his chair and Neo quickly turning on his heels, the both of them raising their hands in a salute.

“How is she doing?” the foreboding figure asks as he takes Argo’s chart from the wall.

“She’s recovering - slowly but surely, King Toxa,” Neo responds stoutly while giving a respectful bow, “But the shock of the impact may have had adverse affects on her nervous system…”

“I see,” Toxa replies coolly while placing her chart back on the wall, “Well, let’s hope she doesn’t have to be scrapped - we can only afford to expend so much on repairs.”

Neo visibly becomes more tense, his eyes narrowing and fists clenching as he responds through gritted teeth. “Of course, your highness…”

“And you - Xeno,” Toxa continues while turning his gaze to his shorter, more-trembly underling, “The report states you spent the most time with her, yes? How would you describe her?”

“E-Err, well-” Xeno stutters, always feeling as if he’s in a minefield when interacting with their self-proclaimed ruler, “She proved to be quite promising a psychic, a-and she was nearly the spitting image of Telluria herself!”

“I see,” Toxa responds lowly while rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner, “I’d like to see her for myself - up close and personal.”

“B-But, your highness, Freeza-”

Toxa laughs heartily before even allowing Xeno to finish his sentence. “You needn’t be so worried; I believe it would be best to try and approach this from a more...negotiative standpoint this time around.”

“I see…” Xeno mutters, his hands fidgeting nervously between one another, “And, um...i-if Freeza doesn’t comply?”

Toxa chuckles - more darkly this time - and gives Xeno a troublesome look. “Perhaps it’s best we wait to cross that bridge if it’s unfortunate enough to cross our path…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this time's chapter was a day late (again), but there was just poor planning (again) on my part.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, though - mostly information and moving the story along, but I hope it's still fun to read! ^^

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of The Bride of Freeza!
> 
> I'm going to try and update this fic once a week on Thursdays, so be on the lookout then if you're interested in reading more.
> 
> I'll see you all then, and thank you for reading!


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